RCMP officer charged after use of less-lethal launcher in Atikameg call about man with knife
ASIRT investigation into a September 2025 incident in the Cree community northwest of Edmonton resulted in assault and breach of trust charges against Const. Tyler Bell.
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The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) has charged RCMP Const. Tyler Bell following an investigation into excessive-force allegations in Atikameg, a Cree community approximately 300 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.
The incident occurred on September 10, 2025, when RCMP responded to a call about a man with a large knife. During the response, an officer deployed a less-lethal baton launcher. ASIRT found reasonable grounds to believe an offence had been committed.
Bell was arrested and charged Thursday with assault with a weapon and breach of trust. He was released on an undertaking and is scheduled to appear in court in Slave Lake on Oct. 14. An RCMP spokesperson could not confirm Bell's current employment status.
ASIRT's investigation and resulting charges are part of a broader scrutiny of police use of force in Alberta. The watchdog handles complaints and investigations involving RCMP and provincial officers when serious incidents or allegations of misconduct occur.
The facts
Who was charged in the ASIRT investigation?
RCMP Const. Tyler Bell was charged with assault with a weapon and breach of trust following an investigation into excessive-force allegations in Atikameg.
What happened during the September 2025 incident in Atikameg?
RCMP responded to a call about a man with a large knife, and an officer deployed a less-lethal baton launcher during the response.
