Witnesses wanted in two fatal police shootings

Police tape can be seen after a man was shot by police on 82 Avenue near 93 Street on July 17, 2024. (Evan Klippenstein/CTV News Edmonton)

Alberta's police watchdog is looking for witnesses in the deaths of two men shot by police in the capital region area this summer.

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The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) is investigating the actions of police officers in the shooting deaths of a man in Leduc in June and another in Edmonton in July.

Leduc

In Leduc on June 19, a man was shot by Edmonton police officers.

RCMP had received several reports that the man was armed and impaired on drugs and alcohol near 50 Street just before midnight. With the help of the Edmonton Police Service (EPS), he was found an undisclosed amount of time later in his car. ASIRT nor police have said where.

According to police, the man was "suicidal" and attempts to de-escalate the situation failed.

ASIRT said multiple EPS officers shot and killed the man when he exited the car with the gun.

Whyte Avenue

On July 16 around midnight, a man with a gun was reported on Whyte Avenue near 93 Street.

Witnesses said they saw him waving what looked like a gun and pointing it at a woman. When EPS officers arrived, they said they saw him point the weapon at an ETS bus.

Police said a "confrontation took place" and one officer shot the man. He was taken to hospital where he died two days later.

An imitation firearm was found at the scene.

ASIRT is an independent review body that investigates the use of force by law enforcement in any case where police actions have caused serious injury or death.

Anyone who witnessed either of the shootings or the events leading up to them is asked to contact ASIRT investigators at 780-644-1483.