The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) is investigating an officer-involved shooting in Wheatland County on Sunday.
On Feb. 12, at approximately 2:15 p.m., the Airdrie Rural RCMP received a call from Calgary Police Service (CPS) to assist in locating a vehicle that was driving erratically, an Alberta RCMP media release said.
An RCMP officer located the vehicle and attempted a traffic stop before the vehicle fled.
A CPS helicopter followed the vehicle and advised RCMP members on the ground, that it was travelling at a high speed, and sometimes in the oncoming lanes.
RCMP deployed a tire deflation device, stopping the vehicle near the Highway 564 and Range Road 245 intersection in Wheatland County.
An officer attempted to arrest the driver, however, an altercation occurred resulting in the officer discharging their firearm, the release said.
The driver, a 37-year-old resident of Calgary was taken to a Calgary hospital by STARS with gunshot injuries.
Officers were not physically injured during this incident.
ASIRT has taken over the investigation.
“The Alberta RCMP believes in processes that seek the facts and it’s important that processes taken to assess the actions of all those involved, including the police, are fair, transparent, and defendable,” the release said.
When RCMP became aware of the incident, the Director of Law Enforcement was notified, and RCMP began an internal review process.
The RCMP’s internal review process is independent of the ASIRT investigation and will gather a full account of what took place during the incident, and the circumstances.
RCMP training, policy, police response, and the duty status of the members involved will be subject to review, the release said.
As the Alberta RCMP is cooperating with ASIRT, no further comments on the incident from the RCMP are expected.
