An officer involved shooting in Vermilion has been determined to be in the purview of an ASIRT Investigation.
The incident reportedly happened just after 3PM on March 1st, when RCMP officers accompanied EMS to reports of an agitated man, only identified as a 33-year-old Lloydminster resident, having a mental health concern, referred to in the RCMP release as a panic attack.
Upon investigation, the RCMP information states, officers “determined that the male was impaired by drugs and required medical attention.”
Officers were asked to continue to be with them at the hospital where the man was being treated into the afternoon and evening.
Around 10PM that night, the RCMP Release claims, an officer joined the man outside so the man could have a cigarette. In that time, the officer states, there was an alleged altercation between the man and the officer, leading to the officer discharging his service pistol.
The man had to be taken to hospital in Edmonton to be treated, and no one else was injured in this situation.
ASIRT Investigation to begin immediately
In response to this, the RCMP notified the Alberta Justice Director of Law Enforcement, who determined it to be in the scope for an Alberta Serious Incident Response Team investigation.
Now, the RCMP’s internal review and ASIRT will each conduct investigations. While ASIRT will have it’s own way of investigating, the RCMP says their internal review will cover everything including RCMP training, policy, police response, and the duty status of the members involved.
The RCMP says both ongoing investigations will be done fully cooperating with ASIRT. As ASIRT is now investigating, the RCMP says they cannot comment further.