Alberta’s police watchdog has cleared an officer involved in a dramatic 2025 shooting in Grande Prairie, concluding the use of force was justified after a suspect fired a shotgun while his vehicle lay overturned with a woman and children inside.The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team was called in to investigate the non-fatal shooting involving the Royal Canadian Mounted Police following the Nov. 10, 2025 incident.According to the investigation, police were responding to reports that a man had breached a no-contact order, forced his way into a woman’s home, and taken her and her three children into his truck, possibly while armed.Officers from both RCMP and Grande Prairie Police Service located the vehicle and attempted a traffic stop, but the suspect fled, triggering a pursuit due to concerns for the safety of the occupants.The chase ended when the truck lost control, left the roadway and flipped onto its roof in an industrial area.As officers rushed to rescue those inside, one officer spotted a firearm and shouted a warning. Two children were pulled from the wreckage moments before a shotgun blast was fired from inside the overturned vehicle.In response, the subject officer fired five shots into the truck..The suspect then crawled out and surrendered. He was arrested and later found to have suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder. The woman sustained minor injuries in the crash, while the children were unharmed.Investigators confirmed the suspect had been armed with a shotgun and had discharged it during the chaotic scene, posing what ASIRT described as an immediate and lethal threat to officers and civilians, including those still trapped in the vehicle.Witness testimony and video evidence showed officers were actively attempting to rescue the children when the gun was fired, underscoring the urgency and danger of the situation.ASIRT concluded the officer was lawfully carrying out his duties and that the use of lethal force was necessary, proportionate and reasonable under the circumstances.The report also noted a delay in recognizing the suspect’s gunshot injury, as officers initially attributed his shoulder pain to the rollover crash. While not deemed criminal, ASIRT said such delays are not best practice and should be addressed internally.The agency also praised the actions of officers who pulled children from the wreckage moments before the gunfire, calling their actions courageous and potentially life-saving.No charges will be laid, bringing the investigation to a close.
