ASIRT seeks witnesses for probe looking into Mountie who fired gun at vehicle in Okotoks

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) is seeking witnesses relating to an April incident where an RCMP member in Okotoks fired his gun while attempting to make an arrest.

On April 19. at about 8:20 p.m., the Okotoks RCMP responded to a complaint about a suspicious vehicle in the parking lot of an Okotoks Safeway, according to ASIRT.

READ MORE: Okotoks officer fired gun during call where suspect fled scene

In a news release issued on Thursday, the police watchdog said officers determined the suspicious vehicle, a white 2016 Jeep Cherokee, had been reported stolen and they noticed a man was asleep in the vehicle.

When police woke the man up, he attempted to drive away, striking an RCMP vehicle, the Safeway building and other vehicles before fleeing the parking lot, ASIRT said.

During this time, an RCMP member fired his gun, striking the Jeep vehicle but not the driver, according to ASIRT.

Officers then followed the Jeep to a residential area and found it abandoned. The man was then taken into custody.

ASIRT believes the man who was driving the Jeep was not injured during the event. Investigators are asking anyone who witnessed the incident and may have photos or video to call ASIRT at 403-592-4306.

RCMP is conducting the investigation into whether there was any criminal conduct on the part of the man driving the jeep.

ASIRT investigators will be looking at police’s interaction with the man that led to the firing of the gun.