53-year-old Calgary woman identified as victim of police shooting: family

The death of a Calgary woman who was shot by Calgary police along Deerfoot Trail last month has raised more questions for her family on why she was killed.

Family has identified the woman killed by Calgary police on June 21 as Melanie Hambrook.

“The way it happened was awful, and the narrative is not very good,” said Adam Vaananen, Hambrook’s ex-husband and father of their 16-year-old child.

“I hope there’s justice. I hope justice happens.”

Hambrook’s family says she loved to paint, was very artistic and worked as an insurance broker.

She struggled with her mental health, but her family says that was nothing that would make her a danger.

“She was not violent. She was not suicidal. She did have mental well-being issues. But I don’t believe she was a threat,” said Vaananen.

Vaananen recalls Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) investigators showing up to his Edmonton home around 2 a.m. on June 22, saying Hambrook had been involved in an incident with police in Calgary and died in hospital.

“The wind was taken out of us, and words can’t convey how I feel about what happened,” said Vaananen.

John Vaananen is Hambrook’s son.

He says he was devastated upon hearing of his mother’s death.

“He (my dad) told me that just the worst thing has happened, and for a little bit, I was in shock. I was crying profusely first,” he said.

“She was a really good mom; I hardly ever asked for anything, but when I did ask for stuff, she would give it to me. She really loved me all she could. I was her prized possession.”

Neither Calgary police nor ASIRT will confirm the name of the woman, as the investigation continues.

John Vaananen recalls his final memory of his mom being a phone call while she was driving between Medicine Hat and Calgary.

“I don’t think it’s unreasonable to ask questions while we’re doing the investigation,” he said.

“I think they should tell us a little bit.”

On June 21, Calgary police reported responding to an erratic driver in a compact SUV near Deerfoot Meadows shopping centre.

Police blocked the driver on Deerfoot Trail North between Memorial Drive and 16 Avenue N.E.

ASIRT says the female driver remained inside the vehicle, and that initial information indicated she had a knife.

It was 20 minutes later that ASIRT says police approached the SUV, broke the passenger-side window, and deployed pepper spray.

Police say the woman then got out and started to move toward officers.

A projectile launcher and a conducted energy weapon were deployed, while another officer fired a police rifle.

ASIRT says police recovered a knife from the woman.

She was taken to hospital in life-threatening condition and later died.

Hambrook’s sister-in-law, who lives in Calgary, says she has known Hambrook for 20 years.

“There are too many questions that I have,” said Darcie Vaananen.

“I can’t see the justification of shooting her.”

She says she wants more answers as to what happened the day Hambrook died.

“This was not a criminal situation; this was a mental-health situation,” she said.

Hambrook was 53.

The family has set up a crowdfunding campaign to help with legal expenses and funeral costs.