EPS officer will not be charged after ASIRT investigation

Alberta Serious Incident Response Team has concluded their investigation after a traffic stop resulted in shots fired, leaving one person dead, and an officer injured.

The incident occurred on May 18, 2015, when a concerned citizen reported a possible impaired driver to police – and officers conducted a traffic stop on the suspect vehicle.

Edmonton Police Service said a confrontation occurred – and the suspect was fatally shot, and officer Jeff Park, who at the time had eight years of experience with EPS, was shot in the leg.

Because shots were fired, ASIRT was called to lead the investigation, and in a release Tuesday a spokesperson announced their conclusions:

“The evidence clearly established that at the time of his death the 31-year old man presented a continuing threat to the lives of the officers, and, as he fled, a threat to public safety. Indeed, the threat had already become very real when the man racked the sawed-off shotgun and deliberately shot one officer. Independent evidence confirms that as the man was fleeing the scene, he turned and pointed the sawed-off shotgun at the officers. In these circumstances, the use of lethal force was both reasonable and necessary. ASIRT Executive Director Susan D. Hughson, Q.C., has confirmed that there are no reasonable grounds to believe that any offence was committed and the officer involved will not be charged with any criminal offences arising out of this incident.”