Alberta’s police watchdog has concluded that an RCMP officer acted reasonably when he fatally shot a man armed with a knife in Cold Lake in December 2024, and no criminal charges will be laid.

In a decision released June 24, 2026, Acting Executive Director Matthew Block of the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) found there were no reasonable grounds to believe the officer committed a criminal offence during the confrontation.

The incident occurred on the evening of December 14, 2024, after RCMP received a 911 call reporting a fight at a bus shelter involving a man armed with a knife.

According to the investigation, officers located the suspect near the bus stop and attempted to detain him. Instead of complying, the man became aggressive, pulled a knife from his waistband and advanced toward one of the officers despite repeated commands to drop the weapon.

ASIRT determined the officer fired three shots after the man rapidly closed the distance between them while holding the knife. The man was later taken to hospital where he died from his injuries.

Investigation Found Earlier Knife Attack

The ASIRT investigation found the confrontation with police stemmed from an earlier attack at the bus shelter.

Witnesses told investigators the man approached another individual who was sitting inside the shelter talking on his phone. According to witness statements, the man displayed a knife before launching an unprovoked attack, attempting to stab the victim in the ribs and neck. The victim was able to fight back and escape unharmed before boarding another bus.

Other witnesses reported seeing the suspect attempt to steal the victim’s phone before producing a knife and continuing the assault. They described the victim as visibly shaken and crying after escaping the encounter.

Police were dispatched shortly afterward and located the suspect at the scene.

Officers Encounter Armed Suspect

When officers arrived, they advised the man he was being detained in connection with the reported knife incident. Investigators found he refused to cooperate, ignored commands and attempted to walk away.

A third officer then arrived and informed the man he was under arrest for assault. According to the report, the man responded by pulling a knife from his waistband and directing his attention toward the newly arrived officer. Witness officers reported the man threatened police and moved toward the officer while armed.

ASIRT reviewed police vehicle video, witness statements, officer interviews, radio traffic and surveillance footage from a nearby restaurant. The investigation found the man quickly advanced toward the officer while holding the knife and closed the gap to an estimated six to ten feet before the officer fired.

After being shot, the man continued moving away from officers while still holding the knife and refusing commands to drop it. A conducted energy weapon, commonly known as a Taser, was later deployed by another officer, allowing police to take him into custody.

Autopsy Results

An autopsy determined the man suffered three gunshot wounds. The fatal injury was a gunshot wound that entered through the shoulder area and damaged the left lung.

Toxicology testing detected ethanol and methamphetamine in the man’s blood, although the medical examiner concluded neither substance caused or contributed to his death.

The autopsy also found there was no evidence the Taser deployment had any physiological effect on the man.

Why ASIRT Found the Shooting Was Justified

A significant issue examined by ASIRT was the fact that two of the three gunshot wounds entered through the man’s back.

The report notes video evidence showed the man began turning away during the final moments of the shooting. However, investigators concluded the entire sequence unfolded within approximately three seconds, making it unrealistic to expect the officer to instantly recognize and react to those movements while facing an imminent threat.

“The SO’s use of force was proportionate, necessary, and reasonable,” Block wrote in the decision. “As a result, there are no reasonable grounds to believe that an offence was committed.”

ASIRT concluded the officer reasonably believed he was facing an imminent threat of grievous bodily harm from an armed and non-compliant individual who had already been reported for a knife attack and was rapidly advancing toward him. Investigators found no lesser use of force was realistically available at the time because another officer was still preparing a Taser and the confrontation unfolded in seconds.

Background

The shooting occurred near a bus shelter in Cold Lake on December 14, 2024.

At the time, ASIRT was called in to investigate after an RCMP officer shot a man during a police response to a reported stabbing incident.

The investigation examined whether the officer’s actions amounted to a criminal offence. After reviewing witness evidence, surveillance footage, police video, forensic evidence and officer statements, ASIRT has now concluded the officer’s actions were legally justified under provisions of the Criminal Code that allow police to use deadly force when necessary to protect themselves or others from a threat of death or serious bodily harm.