The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) cleared the actions of two Edmonton Police Officers for the shooting death of a man in 2019, who "intended to commit suicide by engaging with the police."."Police officers, like any person, are entitled to defend themselves when someone runs at them in an aggressive fashion bearing two knives," Executive Director of ASIRT Michael Ewenson said.."Their employment does not require them to wait and see if the person will actually stab them. In this incident, the subject officers were clearly acting in self-defence.".On Jan. 2, 2019, around 1 p.m. Edmonton Police Service (EPS) officers responded to a residence for a spousal assault complaint. The woman advised police she'd been assaulted, choked, and confined and had her life threatened repeatedly in the preceding days by her boyfriend..While she was speaking with police, the man kept calling her and left her a voice mail saying she will see him on the news. She took this to mean he was going to do something 'stupid.'."Following the interview of the woman, a warrant was issued for the arrest of the man for a number of offences including two counts of assault causing bodily harm, unlawful confinement, and uttering threats," Ewenson said..After dealing with police, the woman attended a hospital with her mother. She believed her teenage daughter was at a friend’s residence at this time..At the hospital, medical staff determined the woman needed a CT scan. While waiting for the scan, she received a frantic call from her daughter who said she was home alone, and not at the friend’s residence..The man had broken into the home, and she did not know what to do. Her mother overheard the man talking to her daughter in the background. She overheard him demanding to know whom she was talking to, and the man then took the phone from her.."The woman begged the man not to hurt her daughter. The man told her that when they arrived with the cops, there’s going to be blood," Ewenson said..Against medical advice, her mother left the hospital to go home. She was afraid they would not make it home in time, called 911 and told police the man broke into the residence occupied by her daughter, and he was threatening suicide..Around 9 p.m., multiple officers were dispatched to the residence. The responding officers were aware the man had broken into the residence, and only the teenager occupied the residence. They also knew the man was wanted for several violent offences, and was threatening suicide..When they arrived, officers noted a ground-floor window had been broken inward, and there was an item of clothing hanging in the broken glass..As officers were setting up outside of the residence, one officer made contact with the daughter and spoke with her while standing below her second-floor window. She said she didn't know where the man was. The officer had the daughter barricade her bedroom door..She would retreat out of view from time to time, but officers regained visual contact with her every 45 seconds or so. Officers staged at both the front and back door of the residence. Both subject officers were at the front door, with each armed with their police issued handgun and additionally armed with an ARWEN less-lethal projectile device..Officers at the rear of the residence then saw the back door open approximately six inches, and shut. Almost immediately after that, with both subject officers and other officers standing within 10-15 feet of the front door, the man slammed the door open and ran toward the officers, armed with a knife in each hand..Independent civilian witnesses described the man's advance as “aggressive,” “threatening,” and moving “quickly.”.As officers yelled commands, including to drop the knives, an officer discharged an ARWEN round. This struck the man, but only slightly slowed his advance. The officer then retreated from the man, but quickly found himself blocked by a bush..The man continued to run at the subject officers. They then discharged their firearms, striking the man. .The man fell lying face down. One knife was on the ground beside the man's left hand, but another knife was still in the man's right hand. A police service dog was deployed and dragged the man by his left shoulder away from the knives..Officers then approached and restrained the him. While emergency medical attention was provided, the man was declared deceased on scene.."As part of standard procedure when an individual is declared deceased prior to being moved, the man was covered up with a blanket, but left in place to preserve evidence," Ewenson said..Two knives were located near where the man had been. Both had blades approximately eight inches in length. One was a thicker chef knife, and one was a thinner carving knife.."The man may have intended to commit suicide by engaging with the police in the way he did. He told his girlfriend when the police arrived, 'there’s going to be blood.' He told the daughter the police would be surprised, and he was going to kill himself in the basement," Ewenson said.."Blood, box cutters, and a noose were found in the basement. While there is significant evidence he may have been trying to commit suicide by running at the subject officers with knives in his hands, a definitive conclusion on that issue is not necessary.".Ewenson noted that the man, regardless of his intentions, presented an immediate risk of serious injury or death to the subject officers that day.."He very clearly showed no hesitation in moving aggressively towards the officers with clear determination, having armed himself with two knives. The use of lethal force in response was lawful, reasonable, and justified," Ewenson said.
