The Calgary Police Service has cordoned off a section of a southeast neighbourhood following an investigation into a stolen vehicle that escalated into the firing of shots.
According to police, the incident occurred at around 7:00 p.m. at a location in the 3800 block of 30 Avenue Southeast. Patrol members located a stolen vehicle travelling on 30 Avenue near 36 Street and HAWCS was deployed.
The suspect vehicle, a 2000 Honda Civic, entered an alleyway and a marked CPS unit followed. The suspect vehicle stopped and the officers exited their unit and approached the car.
A confrontation occurred and one of the officers was dragged by the Civic. A second officer fired their service weapon, striking the Civic driver.
The injured officer, a three year veteran of the Calgary Police Service, was transported to hospital by ambulance for treatment of minor injuries.
The driver of the suspect vehicle, an unnamed 21-year-old man, suffered a serious gunshot wound and was transported to hospital in non-life threatening condition. According to CPS Chief Constable Roger Chaffin, the suspect is known to police.
Chaffin says the city is experience a crime trend associated to illegal drugs and vehicle thefts are on the rise.
“The challenge we’re dealing with is it could happen anywhere,” said Chaffin. “This happened in a residential neighbourhood. There seems to be no regard for property or life. The fact that they’re targeting our officers at times, there’s just no regard at all for the safety of anybody.”
“Our members do an incredibly good job on a nightly basis. The things that the public doesn’t see is just how hard we have to work to find a safe resolution to these events. Tonight was a night where it ended in a shooting unfortunately.”
Officials with the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) confirm the organization has been directed to investigate the police involved shooting.
Several roads in the vicinity of the incident were closed to traffic.
