Lethbridge officer-involved shooting witnesses sought by ASIRT

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) is looking for anyone who saw police shoot a teen wielding a butcher knife in LethbridgeFriday evening.

Lethbridge policeresponded to Safeway in west Lethbridgearound 6:30 p.m.after several people called 911 to report a malecausing a disturbance.

Callers said the man seemed to be impaired, was behaving irrationally and was armed with a knife.By the time police arrived, the suspect was gone.

Police tracked himdown several blocks away. Following a confrontation, the suspect was shot by one of the responding officers.

ASIRThas now confirmed the 17-year-oldtookthe knife from behind the butcher counter while in the grocery store.

He remains in hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.ASIRT was directed to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

While ASIRT is asking anyone who was in the area at the time of the shooting, investigators are looking for the occupants of a newerred SUV.That vehicle is believed to have been in the area and would have been in a good position for its occupants to seethe confrontation.

Anyone with information is asked to contact ASIRT at 403-592-4306.