Alberta's police watchdog has cleared four RCMP officers involved in the fatal shooting of a Grande Prairie man who pointed what appeared to be an assault-style rifle at police after a lengthy pursuit.The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) concluded there are no reasonable grounds to believe any criminal offence was committed by the officers during the July 19, 2025 confrontation on a rural dead-end road outside Grande Prairie.According to ASIRT, the incident began on the evening of July 18 when the man was captured on residential doorbell camera footage leaving his home while concealing what appeared to be a firearm beneath his jacket. About an hour later, community peace officers observed him driving erratically, running a red light and travelling at high speeds through Grande Prairie.Police made multiple attempts to stop the vehicle, but the driver repeatedly fled. Investigators said he drove past the Grande Prairie RCMP detachment three separate times before accelerating away when officers approached. Police then maintained covert surveillance as the vehicle travelled on rural roads, allegedly running stop signs, driving without lights and fishtailing at high speed.The pursuit ended shortly after midnight when the man's vehicle became stuck in mud at the end of a dead-end range road. Four RCMP officers converged on the scene and ordered him to surrender.Initially, the man exited his vehicle with his hands raised, appearing to comply with police commands. Officers repeatedly instructed him to keep his hands up and walk toward them, but he ignored the directions and returned to the vehicle.Investigators said the man then reached into the vehicle and removed a long black firearm that appeared to officers to be an assault-style rifle.One officer immediately broadcast "gun, gun, gun" over the radio as the man turned and pointed the weapon toward police. All four officers opened fire..Video reviewed by ASIRT showed the man continuing to move after the initial volley of gunfire. Police issued additional commands for him to raise his hands, but he instead continued holding the apparent firearm. A second series of shots followed before the man disappeared into tall grass.Officers withdrew and deployed a drone to locate him. Once it was determined he was motionless and the weapon was on the ground, police moved in, handcuffed him and attempted first aid before emergency medical crews arrived. He was pronounced dead shortly afterward.The firearm recovered at the scene was later identified as a Valken tactical airsoft rifle designed to closely resemble a real firearm. Investigators noted officers had no way of knowing the weapon was a replica when it was pointed in their direction.ASIRT said the evidence showed the officers reasonably believed they faced an immediate threat of death or serious bodily harm."There is no doubt that the subject officers' decision to discharge their firearms was reasonable in the circumstances," the report stated. "A pointed firearm presents an immediate risk to the preservation of life."The watchdog also found there were no practical alternatives available to officers, given the distance involved, poor lighting conditions and the apparent presence of a high-powered rifle.ASIRT noted the man's behaviour before the shooting raised the possibility he was intentionally seeking a confrontation with police. Investigators pointed to his repeated passes by the RCMP detachment and his actions during the standoff, including what they described as a lack of reaction to police gunfire."The subject officers' use of force was proportionate, necessary, and reasonable," Acting Executive Director Matthew Block concluded. "As a result, there are no reasonable grounds to believe that an offence was committed."
