Edmonton police’s watchdog said the man shot and killed by an officer in northeast Edmonton Saturday night had a sawed-off rifle in the stolen vehicle.
EPS responded to a parking lot in the area of 123 Avenue and 66 Street at 9:40 p.m. when a driver involved in a hit-and-run followed the other vehicle, called police and gave them the license plate, ASIRT said.
Upon arrival, two officers saw two men get into a stolen vehicle in the parking lot and blocked them before they left.
The officers then asked the men to exit the vehicle, and the passenger surrendered.
But as the first officer approached the passenger on his side of the vehicle, a confrontation between the first officer and the man behind the wheel broke out. The officer reached for cover, while the second officer, standing near on the driver’s side, shot the man, ALERT said.
The 30-year-old was declared dead on scene and the 29-year-old passenger was arrested.
The two men were wanted on Canada-wide warrants for being unlawfully at large, ASIRT said.
A sawed-off, lever action .30-30 calibre rifle was found in the stolen vehicle.
ASIRT is investigating the circumstances that led the officer to shoot the 30-year-old man.
