Authorities are investigating the circumstances that led up to a woman being shot dead by Calgary police in the early morning hours on Christmas Day.
The incident began when police were first called about a vehicle being driven erratically in the area of 9 Avenue and Blackfoot Trail S.E. at just after midnight on December 25.
Officers found the vehicle and attempted to stop the driver, but the driver refused to comply with their demands.
Police then monitored the vehicle as it proceeded through northeast Calgary and attempted to stop it another two times, but the driver again ignored them.
The police officers then disengaged from following the vehicle at 12:40 a.m. because of safety reasons.
About two hours later, a citizen called police to report a driver running red lights and performing U-turns in the northeast community of Falconridge. The report led police to believe that this was the same vehicle spotted earlier in the night as the vehicle and driver description matched that in the previous incident.
When officers arrived in the area, they observed the vehicle driving into oncoming traffic on several occasions.
Police finally managed to stop the vehicle at 2:40 a.m. on McKnight Boulevard near 68 Street N.E.
However, the incident suddenly escalated and it led to one of the officers opening fire and hitting the driver.
The driver, identified as a woman in her 30s, was pronounced dead at the scene by EMS.
The service member involved in the fatal shooting is a 10-year member with the CPS.
An autopsy, to confirm the woman’s identity, is scheduled to take place on December 26.
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team is investigating the incident and further details will be released at a later date.
