The province's police watchdog is investigating after a standoff between Calgary officers and a man allegedly armed with a sword ended with the man being shot.
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) was called in to examine the Calgary Police Service's use of force during the incident on Dec. 21.
According to ASIRT, shortly before midnight, CPS officers responded to a 911 call about -- and quickly encountered -- a man carrying a sword inside a parkade on Varsity Estates Circle N.W.
ASIRT says after the man barricaded himself inside a mechanical room, police tried talking to him, and when that didn't work, "deployed a pepper spray fogger."
It was almost 2 a.m. when officers got the man -- still in possession of the sword -- back out in the open, ASIRT says.
In the ensuing confrontation, ASIRT says, multiple officers "discharged less-lethal baton launchers" and one officer "discharged his firearm, striking the man and causing him to fall to the ground."
ASIRT says a police dog then "moved the man away from the sword."
First aid was provided before an ambulance took the man to a hospital, ASIRT says.
CTV Calgary reported on Dec. 22 that the man remains in hospital in serious but stable condition and that is the most recent information provided to the network.
Investigators have the sword, and also discovered "significant damage" had been done to the mechanical room, according to ASIRT.
Now, ASIRT is asking anyone who may have witnessed any portion of these events and/or may have video footage of any portion of these events to come forward.
ASIRT investigators can be reached at 403-592-4306.
ASIRT is called in whenever an incident involving police in the province results in serious injury or death.
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