Two members of the Calgary Police Service have been placed on 30 day administrative leave following a Friday night response at a southwest 7-Eleven location where a knife-wielding suspect was shot.

According to police, officers were called to the business in the 4600 block of 37 Street S.W. shortly after 8:00 p.m. after a man allegedly pulled a knife, began acting erratically and threatened the store's  staff and customers.

“Our members arrived, helped evacuate the store and contain the scene,” said CPS Deputy Chief Bob Ritchie. “Our members were on scene for approximately 30 minutes before a firearm was discharged.”

Ritchie says the responding officers attempted to resolve the situation using non-violent methods before the incident escalated.

“Our officers engaged in verbal communication to attempt to resolve the situation however they also found themselves in circumstances where they employed the use of tasers, a police K-9 and, at one point, the use of a service firearm.”

The volatile situation was further exacerbated by flames. “It appears the suspect started a fire inside the store which created another hazard for himself, for our members and the public, as smoke quickly filled the building.”

The suspect, whose identity has not been released, was apprehended after a CPS officer discharged his firearm. The number of shots fired has not been confirmed.

“The man was taken to hospital with serious injuries,” said Ritchie. “Three of our officers were examined on scene for smoke inhalation and, we also know now, that one of our officers injured his hand during the incident.”

Members of the Calgary Fire Department responded to the store and extinguished the blaze.

The injured man, believed to be in his 20s, was transported to hospital in life threatening condition. According to Ritchie, the suspect’s condition has improved and, as of Saturday morning, had stabilized. The Deputy Chief adds the suspect has had previous dealings with police.

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) has launched an investigation into the actions of the responding officers.

“There are currently two officers who are the focus of the ASIRT investigation,” said Ritchie. “One has been a member of the Calgary Police Service for nine years and the other has been a member for 15 years. They both have been placed on a standard 30 days administrative leave to give them time to process the incident in a healthy fashion.”

The Deputy Chief says all officer-involved shootings are concerning as they take a tremendous toll on CPS members as well as the public’s trust and confidence in police.

“We do everything in our power, said Ritchie. “Our officers come to work day-in and day-out. They’re well trained. They have the commitment to serve the citizens and serve the public. Nobody wants to come to work to get into a situation like this.”