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A witness officer attempts to pin the suspect's vehicle against a concrete wall as it began driving northbound in the southbound lanes at the United States border. Source: WatchGuard video from a witness officer's police vehicle. (Image Credit: ASIRT)
By Sheldon Spackman
Suspect Fatality

ASIRT report finds no officer wrong doing in southern Alberta police shooting incident

Apr 15, 2026 | 5:02 PM

An investigation by the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) has determined no wrong doing by a southern Alberta Mountie involved in a shooting following an extended vehicle and on-foot pursuit of a suspect who fled the Coutts Border Crossing last year.

It happened the morning of Feb. 4, 2025, when RCMP were notified of an American man who fled a secondary screening at the Coutts Border Crossing and illegally drove into Canada.

ASIRT’s report found that the suspect was directed to turn his vehicle into a designated area after the first screening but instead, drove into Canada without stopping for the secondary inspection.

The RCMP and Alberta Sheriffs were notified and were provided with details of the suspect’s vehicle and information that he had charges pending in the United States relating to theft of a firearm and three counts of assaulting a peace officer.

A pursuit then began and lasted more than an hour, reaching speeds of up to 150 km/h.

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According to the report, the suspect vehicle drove northbound on Highway 4, and along various highways towards the city of Lethbridge before heading back southbound on Highway 4 and into the town of Raymond.

Tire deflation devices were used multiple times by police in an attempt to stop the suspect vehicle which its way back to the American side of the Coutts border, only to find it completely blocked.

The suspect vehicle was then pinned against a concrete wall by a pursuing officer but the suspect fled the scene while holding a gun to his head.

After driving north on Highway 4 once again, nearly 15 minutes later, the suspect vehicle drove into the ditch and came to a stop with the driver fleeing on foot.

ASIRT’s investigation found that the suspect ignored police commands to, “get on the ground,” and continued running through the snow-covered ditch, across railway tracks, and towards a nearby residence.

The subject officer (SO), armed with his shotgun, and several other officers, including another officer and his Police Service Dog (PSD), pursued the suspect on foot. The SO fired a single shot from his shotgun as the suspect was approaching the residence but he ran around the house, through a wooded area, and out onto a range road on the south side of the property.

The suspect then continued running along the road and did not react to police commands to get on the ground. He ran further down the road, into a ditch, and climbed a barbed-wire fence into a field with neighbouring homes.

As soon as the PSD engaged the suspect on his left forearm, the suspect fataly turned the weapon on himself.

ASIRT’s report concluded that the SO’s use of force was proportionate, necessary, and reasonable, noting there are no reasonable grounds to believe that an offence was committed.

The full report can be read here.

by Sheldon Spackman

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