4 Edmonton police officers fired at man in fatal shooting near LRT tracks: watchdog

Four Edmonton police officers opened fire on a 55-year-old man who later died after the shooting last Friday, Alberta's policing watchdog says.

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) released new details Wednesday aboutthe officer-involved shooting, which took place on March 25 near the LRT tracks on 95th Street, near 105th Avenue, in central Edmonton.

The man who was shot appeared to be armed with a handgun and a firearm with extended barrel when he encountered police.But at least one of theseweapons was a fake, the ASIRTnews release said.

An imitation firearm and two "potential improvised firearms" were later recovered from the scene of the shooting, the release said.

ASIRT released photographs of the makeshift weapons recovered from the scene, which included an imitation handgun covered with duct tape.

A spokesperson declined to provide further details about whetherother improvised firearms recovered from the scene are considered functional.

Edmonton police were called to respond after the man was seen around 6:30 a.m., sitting at a picnic table on the north side of 103A Avenue, in front of police headquarters, holding what appeared to be a handgun.

Minutes later,responding officersspotted the man walking north on 96th Street, just north of 103A Avenue.

The man turned around to face the officers, but continued walking backwards. He carriedwhat appeared to be a firearm with an extended barrel, the releasesaid.

He then headed east on the walking path between the Bissell Centre and the LRT tunnel.

More officers responded to the area and, eventually, policespoke to the man and tried de-escalatingthe situation. But astun gun was deployed twice against him,the release said.

The man, however, backed away from officers.

Shortly after6:45 a.m., a "confrontation" occurred and four officers opened fire and shot the man, the release said.

The man was taken to hospital. He was declared dead an hour after beingshot by police.

No officers were injured during the confrontation.

ASIRT which investigatesevents where serious injury or death may have been caused by police is asking anyone whowitnessed the shooting to contact them.

There have been threeofficer-involved shooting events this year, the Edmonton Police Servicesaid Friday.

There were five in 2021 and four in 2020, the EPS said.