The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) has cleared a Calgary police officer of any wrongdoing in a shooting that occurred after a man, armed with a knife, attempted to provoke officers into shooting him in what he admitted was an attempt at "suicide by cop."The incident took place on August 18, when police were called to a liquor store in the Montgomery area following reports of a theft. The suspect had stolen a bottle of vodka while wielding a hammer and then smashed the store’s glass door before fleeing to a nearby park.Two Calgary Police Service officers responded to the 911 call and located the suspect, referred to in ASIRT's report as the Affected Person (AP), sitting in the park. A nearby civilian informed the officers that AP was armed with a knife. As the officers approached, they ordered AP to drop the weapon and informed him that he was under arrest for the theft.Body-worn camera footage from the officers shows that AP stood up, knife in hand, and began walking toward the officers in what was described as a "purposeful" manner, ignoring repeated commands to drop the knife. Despite their attempts to deescalate, AP continued to close the distance between himself and the officers, at one point asking them to shoot him.As the confrontation unfolded, two additional officers arrived on the scene. One of the original responding officers, referred to as the Subject Officer (SO), discharged her firearm twice, striking AP in the leg. AP was provided first aid at the scene and later transported to the hospital by Emergency Medical Services (EMS).During an interview with ASIRT investigators, AP admitted that he had intended to provoke the officers into shooting him as a form of suicide. He explained that after stealing the vodka, he sat in the park waiting for police to arrive, planning to walk toward them with the knife until they were forced to open fire.ASIRT’s investigation concluded that the officer’s use of force was justified. The report noted that while less-lethal options, such as a conducted energy weapon (CEW), could have been used, the rapid escalation and shrinking distance between AP and the officers made the use of a firearm a reasonable and appropriate response.ASIRT commended the officers for their attempts to manage the situation safely, particularly their efforts to move pedestrians out of harm’s way and their clear communication throughout the encounter. Ultimately, however, the officers were left with no choice but to defend themselves from an armed and advancing individual.The investigation has now been officially closed, with ASIRT determining the shooting was lawful.
