Alberta’s police watchdog has concluded an RCMP officer acted lawfully when he fatally shot a man armed with two knives during a violent confrontation in Lac La Biche in July 2025, including after the man stabbed another officer.

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.

The shooting occurred on July 27, 2025, after RCMP responded to a 911 call reporting that a man had threatened family members with a knife and left the residence while still armed.

Family Reported Threats and Mental Health Concerns

According to the investigation, the man’s niece called 911 after he allegedly threatened occupants of a Lac La Biche home with a knife.

Family members told officers the man suffered from schizophrenia, was not taking prescribed medication and regularly carried knives, including large kitchen knives. They also reported he had previously threatened to stab police officers if they were called to the residence.

Officers spent approximately 14 minutes speaking with family members outside the home before learning the man had been spotted in a field behind the property.

When police located him, he emerged from tall grass carrying two knives.

Armed Confrontation Escalates

ASIRT’s investigation found the man was immediately uncooperative and accused officers of trying to kidnap him.

Body-worn camera footage showed him carrying both a large butcher knife and a second metal knife while repeatedly refusing commands to drop the weapons.

Investigators found officers attempted to de-escalate the situation, repeatedly telling him they were there to help and urging him to put the knives down. Instead, the man continued moving toward officers, made delusional statements and threatened police.

The confrontation moved into the backyard and eventually into a cluttered carport area.

When the man continued refusing commands, an officer deployed a conducted energy weapon, commonly known as a Taser. The deployment caused him to fall, but he maintained control of both knives.

Officer Stabbed During Struggle

After the Taser deployment, one officer moved in to try to gain control of the man and disarm him.

According to ASIRT, the struggle quickly became chaotic.

The officer attempted to restrain the man while he continued gripping both knives. During the struggle, the officer lost his balance and fell forward.

The man then stabbed the officer before getting back to his feet while still armed.

Medical records reviewed by ASIRT confirmed the officer suffered multiple stab wounds, including injuries to his arm and a deeper stab wound to his thigh that required sutures.

Officer Opens Fire

After stabbing the officer, the man turned and advanced toward a second officer while still holding both knives.

The officer initially fired a single shot and gave the man an opportunity to stop.

Instead, investigators found the man continued advancing.

As the officer retreated, he tripped over steps and fell backward. While on the ground, he fired additional shots as the armed man continued approaching.

The man ultimately collapsed after being struck by multiple rounds.

An autopsy later determined he suffered seven gunshot wounds, five of which penetrated his torso. The medical examiner concluded the cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds.

Toxicology testing also detected methamphetamine in his system.

Questions Raised About Medical Aid

ASIRT also examined whether there was an unreasonable delay in providing medical assistance after the shooting.

The report notes approximately six minutes passed between the final shot and the start of CPR.

However, investigators found the first several minutes were spent dealing with ongoing safety concerns because the man continued holding both knives after being shot and appeared to still be attempting to move.

Police repeatedly ordered him to drop the weapons before another officer was eventually able to safely remove the knives and place him in handcuffs.

ASIRT also noted one officer had just been stabbed, another officer was visibly distressed after the shooting and a civilian family member had entered the scene and was standing near the injured man.

Once the scene was secure, officers began first aid and CPR while waiting for EMS.

Investigators found there was no evidence that any delay in medical treatment contributed to the man’s death.

Why ASIRT Found the Shooting Justified

ASIRT concluded the officer faced an immediate threat of death or serious bodily harm when he opened fire.

The report notes the man had already threatened family members, repeatedly refused police commands, ignored attempts at de-escalation, resisted a Taser deployment and stabbed an officer while holding two knives.

“The SO’s use of force was proportionate, necessary, and reasonable,” Block wrote in the decision.

Investigators found there were no lesser force options available once the man had demonstrated a willingness to use the knives and continued advancing on police.

Background

The incident began as a call involving a family disturbance and concerns about the man’s mental health.

Family members had hoped police could help have him apprehended under the Mental Health Act. Instead, the situation escalated into a violent confrontation after the man emerged from a field carrying two knives and repeatedly refused to surrender.

After reviewing body camera footage, police vehicle video, civilian witness accounts, officer interviews, forensic evidence and the autopsy findings, ASIRT concluded the officer’s actions were legally justified and that no criminal charges will be laid.