Alberta's police watchdog concluded there were reasonable grounds to believe Calgary police officers committed an offence during a 2018 fugitive arrest that left a suspect with serious injuries, but no charges will be laid after Crown prosecutors determined there was no reasonable likelihood of conviction.The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) released its findings Wednesday into the June 8, 2018 arrest, which left the man with a fractured wrist, a compression fracture in his spine and a laceration above his eye.The incident began when members of the Calgary Police Service Integrated Fugitive Apprehension Detail attempted to arrest the man, who was wanted on outstanding warrants, in a residential parking lot in southeast Calgary.According to ASIRT, officers identified themselves as police and ordered the man to the ground, but he fled on foot, jumping over a fence and falling about seven feet before continuing to run. He later fell face-first near an unmarked police vehicle, although investigators said it remains unclear whether the vehicle struck him before he fell.During the ensuing struggle, officers said the suspect repeatedly refused commands to show his hands and instead reached toward his waistband. Officers responded by delivering strikes to his lower body before handcuffing him.The man later told ASIRT he believed an unmarked police vehicle deliberately struck him before officers punched and kicked him while he was on the ground. He denied resisting arrest and alleged officers initially refused his requests for medical treatment..Medical records confirmed he suffered a hairline fracture to his right wrist and an acute compression fracture of his second lumbar vertebra, although investigators noted the injuries could also have resulted from his seven-foot fall while fleeing police.Civilian witnesses confirmed seeing the suspect jump the fence and land awkwardly, but none reported seeing him struck by a police vehicle. One witness described him as appearing dazed and injured immediately after the fall.ASIRT found the officers were lawfully attempting to arrest a wanted suspect and acknowledged police are entitled under the Criminal Code to use reasonable force while carrying out their duties.However, investigators concluded there were reasonable grounds to believe an offence had been committed, prompting the matter to be referred to the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service for an independent assessment.After reviewing the evidence, Crown prosecutors concluded there was no reasonable likelihood of obtaining a conviction and advised that criminal charges should not proceed.ASIRT said the differing conclusions reflect the different legal standards applied by investigators and prosecutors. While ASIRT assesses whether reasonable grounds exist to believe an offence occurred, prosecutors must determine whether there is a reasonable likelihood of conviction and whether prosecution would serve the public interest.In accordance with the Crown's opinion, ASIRT announced no charges will be laid against the officers involved.
