IBNS-CMEDIA: An investigation by the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team has cleared a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer who fired a shot during a high-speed pursuit of an armed suspect near the Canada-U.S. border in February 2025.
The incident began on Feb. 4, 2025, when a U.S. citizen fled a secondary inspection at the Coutts Border Crossing and drove into Canada, triggering a police response.
Authorities later learned the man faced charges in the United States, including firearm theft and assaulting a peace officer.
Police attempted an initial traffic stop, but the suspect fled, leading to a pursuit that lasted about 90 minutes across southern Alberta.
Officers reported the man drove at speeds exceeding 140 km/h, at times heading into oncoming traffic and evading multiple attempts to stop his vehicle.
During the chase, officers observed the suspect holding a handgun to his head. The pursuit ended after a tire deflation device forced the vehicle into a ditch near residential properties.
The suspect then fled on foot toward nearby homes while still armed. An officer fired a single shotgun round during the pursuit, but investigators found no evidence the shot struck the man
Moments later, after a police dog was deployed, the suspect shot himself. An autopsy confirmed the cause of death as a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Toxicology reports indicated the presence of multiple substances, including alcohol and cocaine.
In its findings, ASIRT said the officer’s use of force was “reasonable, necessary and proportionate” under Section 25 of Canada’s Criminal Code, citing the immediate risk posed by an armed and non-compliant suspect approaching occupied residences.
“The subject officer acted on reasonable grounds in a dynamic and dangerous situation,” the report said, noting the suspect’s erratic behaviour, high-risk driving and refusal to comply with repeated commands.
Investigators concluded there were no reasonable grounds to believe a criminal offence had been committed.
(Reporting by Suman Das)
