Alberta's police watchdog has cleared an RCMP officer in the fatal shooting of a knife-wielding man in Lac La Biche, concluding the officer acted reasonably after the suspect stabbed another officer and continued advancing while armed.The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) released its findings Wednesday into the July 27, 2025 confrontation, determining there are no reasonable grounds to believe the officer committed a criminal offence.The incident began when Lac La Biche RCMP responded to a 911 call from a woman who reported her uncle had threatened family members with knives before leaving the residence while still armed. Family members told police the man suffered from schizophrenia, was not taking prescribed medication and had previously threatened to use knives against police officers.Officers spent several minutes speaking with family members before receiving information that the man had been spotted in a field behind the residence.When police located him, investigators said he immediately became confrontational and accused officers of trying to kidnap him. He emerged from tall grass carrying two knives — a large butcher knife and a smaller metal knife.Body camera footage reviewed by ASIRT showed officers repeatedly ordering him to drop the weapons while assuring him they wanted to help. The man refused and instead moved toward police while making delusional statements, identifying himself as "the King" and calling officers "deceiver police."The confrontation continued as the man moved through the property toward a backyard carport while still carrying both knives..After repeated warnings, an officer deployed a conducted energy weapon, causing the man to fall. However, he continued gripping the knives and resisted officers' attempts to take him into custody.ASIRT found the situation escalated when an officer attempting to restrain the man lost his balance during the struggle. The man then stabbed the officer multiple times before standing and advancing toward another RCMP officer while still armed.The officer fired a single shot and gave the man an opportunity to stop. When he continued advancing, the officer fired additional rounds while retreating. The officer eventually fell backward over steps leading into the yard as the man continued moving toward him. Over approximately four seconds, the officer fired several more shots before the man collapsed.Investigators found the man remained armed even after being shot and continued ignoring commands to drop the knives. Officers eventually disarmed and handcuffed him before beginning life-saving measures.Emergency medical personnel arrived shortly afterward, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy determined he died from multiple gunshot wounds. Toxicology testing showed methamphetamine in his system.The injured officer suffered two stab wounds to the arm and a deeper stab wound to the thigh requiring multiple sutures.ASIRT also examined whether officers delayed providing medical assistance after the shooting. Investigators noted approximately six minutes passed before CPR began but found the delay was reasonable because the man remained armed for several minutes after the shooting, continued moving and ignored commands to surrender.The watchdog concluded officers faced an immediate threat to their safety, the safety of nearby civilians and the occupants of the residence."The SO's use of force was reasonable, proportionate, and necessary," ASIRT stated in its report.ASIRT further concluded there was no evidence that any delay in medical treatment contributed to the man's death."The delay in administering medical aid was also reasonable in the circumstances," Acting Executive Director Matthew Block wrote. "As a result, there are no reasonable grounds to believe that an offence was committed."
