ASIRT clears RCMP officers in Red Deer fatality

Todayville

Published

5 years ago

4 minute read

January 09, 2018

On November 13, 2015, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) was directed to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of a 45-year-old man whose body was found in a wooded area near 32^nd Street within the Red Deer city limits on Nov. 11, 2015. The RCMP had attempted to arrest the man in the same area on Oct. 6, 2015.

ASIRT conducted an investigation to determine whether any act or omission by the RCMP caused or contributed to his death. There were two primary focuses of this investigation: a determination of whether there was any use of force by police that caused his death, and whether there was any negligence by police in failing to locate him.

On Oct. 6, 2015, members of the Red Deer RCMP attempted a traffic stop on a stolen Honda Civic that was later determined to have been driven by the man. When the man failed to stop, police deployed a spike belt that succeeded in eventually bringing the vehicle to a stop. Upon the vehicle stopping, the man fled on foot into a wooded area near 32^nd Street.

RCMP officers began pursuing the man on foot, however he avoided arrest. One member came close to catching up with the man, but ultimately he was unable to do so when the man went over a fence and out of sight.

Officers searched the area where the man was last seen, including the use of a police service dog. At one point an individual believed to be the man was seen running toward Waskasoo Creek, but he could not be found. Police abandoned their search after their efforts to locate the man yielded no further signs of his whereabouts. Officers found identification belonging to the man during a search of the Honda Civic left at the scene and recorded the information to further their stolen vehicle investigation and subsequent efforts to find him.

On Oct. 21, 2015, a family member filed a missing person report regarding the man, leading to an investigation into his whereabouts. On Nov. 11, 2015, police found the man’s body submerged in Waskasoo Creek, near the area that he was last seen on Oct. 6, 2015. An autopsy conducted Nov. 12, 2015 determined that the cause of death was non-criminal.

ASIRT conducted a thorough and independent investigation into this allegation. ASIRT executive director Susan D. Hughson, QC, received the completed investigation and after a careful review of the evidence has confirmed the conduct of the officers involved in both the attempt to apprehend the man and the attempt to locate him did not, in any way, cause his death. At no time was there actual physical contact with the man and any of the involved officers. Additionally, the search was appropriately conducted and resourced, albeit unsuccessful.

No criminal charges will stem from this incident.

This finding in no way diminishes the sad fact that a family has lost a loved one in tragic circumstances. On behalf of ASIRT, the executive director extends condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.

ASIRT’s mandate is to effectively, independently and objectively investigate incidents involving Alberta’s police that have resulted in serious injury or death to any person, as well as serious or sensitive allegations of police misconduct.

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Police investigating how shooter got firearm after autopsy and balistic analysis

Alberta

Police investigating how shooter got firearm after autopsy and balistic analysis

Published on March 23, 2023

Todayville

News release from the Edmonton Police Service

Autopsy on shooter, ballistic analysis complete in line of duty deaths

An autopsy on the shooter and ballistic analysis of the firearm have been completed in the Mar. 16, 2023 EPS line of duty deaths.

The Edmonton Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy on Mar. 22, 2023, and confirmed that the 16-year-old male shooter’s cause of death was a single gunshot wound to the head consistent with being self-inflicted.

“We recognize that there is intense public interest in this investigation,” says EPS Deputy Chief Devin Laforce. “At this time, our priorities need to be the integrity of ongoing investigations, including the origin of the firearm, as well as the safety and privacy of all the families affected by this tragedy. For these reasons, we are not releasing or confirming the name of the deceased.”

A bullet casing recovered from the scene of a Mar. 12, 2023 shooting at a nearby restaurant in the area of 133 Street and 114 Avenue has been forensically matched to the firearm that was recovered at the 132 Street and 114 Avenue apartment, where Constable Brett Ryan and Constable Travis Jordan were fatally shot on Mar. 16, 2023.

Investigators believe the suspect in the Mar. 12 shooting to be the same 16-year-old male responsible for the deaths of the two EPS members, although this has yet to be confirmed. Detectives are also working to trace the origins of the firearm and how it came to be in the youth’s possession.

At this time, investigators continue to believe that the youth’s parents, police dispatch and Constables Ryan and Jordan had no information to suggest there was a firearm in the home when the family dispute call for service was made on Mar. 16.

“Both events have been served by robust investigations that have followed all lines of inquiry,” says Deputy Chief Devin Laforce. “All tips and other investigative avenues were pursued exhaustively by the investigating teams.”

The male shot on Mar. 12 in the restaurant remains in hospital in critical but stable condition, and the youth’s mother who was shot on Mar. 16 remains in hospital in serious but stable condition.

#ALERT #LawEnforcementResponseTeam

Search of four Edmonton homes results in Cocaine and Meth bust

Published on March 23, 2023

Todayville

News release from the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT)

Cocaine seized after four Edmonton homes searched

More than two kilograms of cocaine, cash, and four vehicles have been seized following an ALERT Edmonton investigation into cocaine trafficking.

The investigation began in October 2022. Police were able to identify four homes and four vehicles linked to the drug trafficking operation.

“Through the course of this five-month investigation, officers were able to identify several suspects, and seized several pieces of equipment which were being used to produce large, commercial-sized quantities of product. This tells us that this was a much bigger, sophisticated operation,” said Sgt. Jeff Woodliffe, ALERT Edmonton.

On February 23, 2023, police searched four homes and seized the following items as evidence:

2.6 kgs of cocaine;
28 grams of methamphetamine;
10 kgs of a cocaine buffing agent; and
$11,000 in cash.

The investigation remains ongoing as investigators prepare reports and disclosure for Crown Counsel.

The Edmonton Police Service assisted throughout the investigation.

Members of the public who suspect drug or gang activity in their community can call local police, or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Crime Stoppers is always anonymous.

ALERT was established and is funded by the Alberta Government and is a compilation of the province’s most sophisticated law enforcement resources committed to tackling serious and organized crime.