Calgary officer cleared in 2015 shooting of man driving on sidewalk

A Calgary police officer was justified when he shot and injured a 20-year-old man driving a stolen car in front of the Drop-In Centre in November 2015, an investigation by the police watchdog has found.

"The officer's actions were both reasonable and justified in law," reads a statement from the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT).

"Based on the available evidence, it is very clear that the conduct of the driver constituted a very real risk of grievous bodily harm, if not death, to the officer who barely escaped being struck, as well as other pedestrians in the area," it said.

"Only the good fortune and good reflexes of those in the path of the vehicle prevented serious harm."

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Police were called to the east entrance of the Drop-In Centre on Dermot Baldwin Way at about 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 3, 2015 for a report of a hit and run accident.

While they were en route, officers were told that a similar vehicle was involved in an earlier incident where the car's occupants got out brandishing a baseball bat and what appeared to be a handgun.

When police arrived, the vehicle headed east on Fifth Avenue S.E. then jumped a curb and drove on the sidewalk where pedestrians were standing.

The vehicleheaded straight towards a police van that four officers were standing next to, with one still inside.

Yelling to the others, the officer in the driver's seat jumped clear, narrowly avoiding being crushed.

Riverfront Avenue shooting

9 years ago

Duration 0:43

Bullet holes are seen in a vehicle in downtown Calgary.

One of the officers standing nearby fired twice at the front window of the vehicle, which continued along the sidewalk, manoeuvring between emergency vehicles and forcing pedestrians to jump out of the way.

The driver continued the wrong way down Fourth Avenue S.E., eventually hitting another car and continuing on before coming to a stop on Riverfront Avenue just west of Macleod Trail S.E.

An off-duty officer who happened to be nearby took two people into custody.

The driver, a 20-year-old man, was struck by a bullet in the upper chest. He was taken to hospital and has since recovered.

He was later charged withattempted murder,assault with a weapon, and possession of stolen property.

ASIRT officials declined to comment further as the matter is now before the courts.

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