Calgary police not at fault in woman's fatal 5-storey Chinatown fall: ASIRT
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team has determined Calgary Police Service officers did not commit an offence during the attempted arrest of a suspect who fell five-storeys to her death.
On Friday, ASIRT, the police watchdog organization, released the findings of its investigation into the 2019 death of a 31-year-old woman in Calgary's Chinatown.
According to ASIRT, the woman and her boyfriend were identified as suspected fentanyl traffickers who moved between Airbnb accommodations. The couple had a criminal history and were suspects in two non-fatal shootings that took place in March and May of 2019.
An arrest warrant was issued for the boyfriend in June 2019 and investigators tracked the pair to an apartment building in the 200 block of First Street S.E. where they were living in a fifth-floor suite.
ASIRT says officers witnessed the man and woman "engaging in drug activity within the vicinity of the apartment" and, under the assumption that they might be armed, members of the tactical unit were deployed to the area.
The male suspect was spotted exiting the building shortly before 12:30 a.m. on June 19 and he was arrested without incident.
The female suspect remained inside the suite and tactical unit members set up containment of the unit and attempted to communicate with her over a loudspeaker. After several attempts to speak with her failed, officers attempted to place a camera under the door to see inside but the camera didn't work. A robot was used to knock on the door but the woman didn't answer.
A tactical unit member stationed elsewhere spotted the woman walking out onto the suite's balcony on several occasions. She appeared to throw something over the railing. Officers later recovered a loaded 9 mm Glock handgun with 14 bullets in the magazine.
ASIRT says officers made plans to ram through the hallway door, and send in a robot, the next time there was visual confirmation that the woman was on the balcony.
The woman stepped outside again shortly after 1 a.m. and officers watched as she climbed over the railing in a suspected attempt to gain access to the balcony on the next floor down. It's not known if the woman lost her grip or intentionally jumped, but she plummeted to the ground below.
A tactical EMS member administered first aid on scene. The woman was transported by ambulance to hospital where she died as a result of her injuries.
"The officers on scene were acting in the lawful execution of their duties, and had judicial authorization to enter the residence," said ASIRT executive director Michael Ewenson in his decision. "The affected person was presented with several opportunities over an extended period of time to surrender to awaiting CPS officers by just walking out the apartment door. However, the affected person appears to have attempted to evade the police by leaving the apartment by scaling over and down her fifth floor balcony. It is unknown whether the affected person fell from the balcony after losing her grip or if she intentionally tried to jump to make good her escape.
"While the death of the affected person is tragic, there are no reasonable grounds, nor reasonable suspicion, to believe that any of the officers on scene committed an offence(s)."
The identity of the deceased has not been released.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.