No charges for officer in Stanley Park shooting
The Calgary Police Service officer who fired two shots at a suspect in a southwest Calgary park two years ago will not face charges.
Around 3:40 p.m. on March 20, 2016, police were called to Stanley Park after receiving calls about a man carrying what appeared to be a handgun near where children were playing.
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) — the police watchdog that investigates police-related shootings — said two officers intercepted the man, identified themselves as police officers and told him to stop.
That’s when the man raised and pointed “what appeared to be a handgun” at one of the officers, ASIRT said. One of the officers fired two rounds from his service pistol, missing the man, who then fled the scene.
Other officers confronted the man, who then placed the firearm — which turned out to be a replica antique handgun — on the ground and surrendered to police.
Officers seized the replica and no one was injured as a result of the incident.
ASIRT said the 23-year-old man “appeared to be under the influence of unknown intoxicants,” “made bizarre statements” to police and “appeared delusional.”
“Although the object the man pointed at police turned out not to be a working firearm, none of the witnesses — civilian or police — could tell it was a replica until it was seized during the man’s arrest,” ASIRT said in a news release.
ASIRT said the officer used “reasonable force in defence of themselves or someone else,” based on information available to officers when the shooting occurred.
“Accordingly, no criminal charges will stem from police conduct during this incident,” ASIRT said.