Woman shot by police on Deerfoot carried a knife, ASIRT investigation finds
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team released early details Friday on last Sunday's fatal officer-involved shooting on the city's busiest highway.
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A woman killed by Calgary police officers last Sunday on Deerfoot Trail was carrying a knife, according to an early update from Alberta's police watchdog.
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) is investigating the officer-involved shooting, which resulted in the death of a woman who has not yet been identified. Officers were called to the busy freeway Sunday afternoon after multiple reports of an erratic driver.
According to ASIRT's Friday update, Calgary police first responded to reports of an erratic driver near the Deerfoot Meadows shopping centre. Officers located a compact SUV on the northbound side of Deerfoot Trail between Memorial Drive E. and 16th Avenue N.E. at about 5:30 p.m. and used their vehicles to stop it in the far left lane.
Initial information from officers indicated the driver had a knife. Officers attempted to speak with her but she remained inside the vehicle. Around 20 minutes after the initial stop, officers approached the passenger side, broke the front passenger-side window and deployed pepper spray inside.
The woman then exited the vehicle and moved toward the officers. During the ensuing interaction, officers used a projectile launcher and a Taser, while one officer fired their police rifle. Officers recovered a knife after approaching the woman and provided emergency medical care. She was taken to hospital in life-threatening condition and later died.
The Police Review Commission has directed ASIRT to investigate the shooting as a Level 1 matter, which generally refers to incidents resulting in serious injury or death. ASIRT's investigation will examine the actions of police, including the force used during the incident.
