An RCMP officer will not face charges after fatally shooting a knife-wielding man who tried to enter Fort McMurray International Airport in 2021, Alberta’s police watchdog has ruled.The shooting occurred on October 15, 2021, after RCMP officers responded to a report of a man holding a knife to his neck inside a taxi parked outside the airport’s departure area. When police arrived just before 6 a.m., the man — later identified only as AP — was in the back seat of the cab while the driver stood outside. Officers engaged AP in a lengthy negotiation that lasted over 30 minutes.Police observed signs that AP may have been under the influence of drugs or suffering a mental health crisis. He made alarming statements, including one about wanting to see a plane explode. Officers offered cigarettes and coffee in exchange for him to drop the knife, but AP refused..Despite multiple commands to stop, AP exited the taxi and began walking toward the airport doors while still holding the knife. Officers deployed several non-lethal weapons to subdue him — a 40mm extended range impact weapon and a Taser —but neither was effective. After the second Taserdeployment briefly knocked AP to the ground, he quickly got up and ran toward the terminal.At that point, the subject officer (SO), armed with a police-issued carbine, fired multiple times, striking AP five times in the back, elbow, buttock, and thigh. He was treated at the scene by emergency medical services and transported to hospital, where he was pronounced dead..An autopsy confirmed that AP died from multiple gunshot wounds. Toxicology results showed high levels of methamphetamine and the presence of cocaine in his system.The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) concluded that the officer’s use of force was legally justified under sections 25 and 34 of the Criminal Code. The report emphasized that the officer had exhausted non-lethal options and had reasonable grounds to believe AP posed an imminent threat to people inside the airport.While the fatal outcome was described as tragic, the officer’s actions were found to be proportionate, necessary, and reasonable in the circumstances.
