Alberta’s police watchdog has released more details about an incident in the Calgary community of Legacy this summer that saw a woman shot to death by police. Calgary police responded to a home in the 200 block of Legacy Circle S.E. at 1:30 a.m. on Aug. 26 after receiving a call from a woman in distress who said she was armed and planning to hurt herself. On Thursday, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) said during the call, the woman made comments “indicating she wanted a confrontation with police.” Officers remained in contact with the woman for 45 minutes, while police surrounded her home. ASIRT says the woman made statements suggesting she was armed and threatened officers if they approached. Shortly after 2 a.m., the woman stepped out of the house. ASIRT says officers yelled repeated commands to drop the gun. “In a confrontation that quickly followed, officers fired multiple rounds from a less-lethal projectile launcher and a round from a rifle,” said a news release. “The woman fell to the ground.” Paramedics provided first aid. ASIRT said while this was happening, first responders smelled leaking natural gas and evacuated nearby homes. The Calgary Police Service said previously that a gas meter was ruptured during the incident, causing a leak, but didn’t say how it occurred. One police officer was transported to hospital due to gas exposure and a second was evaluated by medics. Area residents were eventually allowed back in their homes once the gas leak was fixed. ASIRT says an air-powered pistol was found at the scene.
