ASIRT said the officer and the man engaged in a verbal altercation and the officer fired his weapon at the man who dropped to the ground
Alberta’s police watchdog has taken over an investigation after a 28-year-old man was fatally shot by Edmonton police last week
At roughly 8:55 p.m. June 29 a call to 911 was made telling police there was a single-vehicle rollover collision on Anthony Henday Drive, ASIRT said in a news release on Tuesday.
A witness said the man driving the rolled-over vehicle left the scene on foot. Officers began searching for the man in surrounding neighbourhoods, in the community of Fraser, located in northeast Edmonton, ASIRT said.
At roughly 9:11 p.m. the Air 1 helicopter team was dispatched and began flying over the areas around where the rollover occurred.
At around 9:21 p.m. an officer called in that he had located a person that matched the description of the driver.
ASIRT said the man walked towards the officer’s police car as the officer drove his vehicle towards the man with his emergency lights activated.
At 9:22 p.m. ASIRT said the officer stopped his vehicle and stepped out of his vehicle to face the man. The man stopped walking and raised his arms to his sides while facing the officer who had his gun drawn.
ASIRT said the officer and the man engaged in a verbal altercation and the officer fired his weapon at the man, who dropped to the ground.
The man was given medical attention but died as a result of gunshot wounds, ASIRT said.
Postmedia has since learned the victim is Mathios Arkangelo of Edmonton.
ASIRT said it will continue to investigate and examine the use of force by the officer.
ASIRT is seeking tips from the public who may have witnessed the incident to contact investigators at 780-644-1483.
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