'Somewhat shocked': Criminal lawyer questions use of force in deadly Calgary police pursuit
A prominent criminal lawyer is questioning the use of force in a deadly police pursuit in Calgary on Monday.
"Frankly, I was somewhat shocked that this would have led to killing two people," said Tom Engel, chair of the Criminal Trial Lawyers’ Association (CTA) policing committee.
The incident started around 10 a.m. in northeast Calgary on Manning Close, after a security guard reported three possibly intoxicated people in a stolen cube van.
Shortly after, police got several calls about that van being driven erratically, but slowly, as it headed west on Memorial Drive.
Multiple police cruisers blocked overpasses and bridges to stop it from going downtown.
At Edmonton Trail, the van made a U-turn and headed east toward St. George’s Drive.
Police say they attempted to contain the van, but it continued moving toward officers.
The situation escalated around 11 a.m. when one officer, a 13-year-member of the Calgary Police Service, fired their gun, killing two people.
A third person was injured and arrested. No officers or bystanders were hurt.
Engel takes on many policing cases and says lethal force cannot be used unless it’s necessary to protect lives.
"Nothing that I’ve read or seen indicates that there was that danger," he said.
"The slow, meandering of the van… there was no risk to anybody."
Kelly Sundberg, a criminologist and associate professor at Mount Royal University, disagrees, saying the van can be considered a weapon.
"A cube van is a sizeable vehicle and even at a low speed, can kill somebody, so if a cube van is being used erratically and is endangering the lives of people, the police have an obligation to end that threat," he said.
Sundberg says police must respond to threats like this in a reasonable and proportionate manner.
"This is a really, really tragic situation where police, their options for ending this became more and more limited as time progressed," he said.
Engel questions if other measures, like Tasers, were used first, and is calling for police to release video of the incident to the public.
"If this happened in the United States, by now, in most cases, it would’ve all been released to the public, and that’s a real problem with transparency and accountability," he said.
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) is investigating, as it does in all police-involved shootings, to determine if the use of force was justified.
Calgary police said they will not comment on the matter while ASIRT's investigation is underway.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW Keeping these exotic pets is 'cruel' and 'dangerous,' Canadian animal advocates say
Canadian pet owners are finding companionship beyond dogs and cats. Tigers, alligators, scorpions and tarantulas are among some of the exotic pets they are keeping in private homes, which pose risks to public safety and animal welfare, advocates say.
NEW Life got in the way of one woman's reunion with her father, but a DNA test gained her a family
Anne Marie Cavner was the closest she'd ever been to meeting her biological father, but then life dealt her a blow. From an unexpected loss to a host of new relationships, a DNA test changed her life, and she doesn't regret a thing.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Quebec farmers have been protesting since December. Is anyone listening?
Upset about high interest rates, growing paperwork and heavy regulatory burdens, protesting farmers have become a familiar sight across Quebec since December.
'Catch-and-kill' strategy to be a focus as testimony resumes in Trump hush money case
A veteran tabloid publisher was expected to return to the witness stand Tuesday in Donald Trump's historic hush money trial.
Prince William and wife Kate thank public for birthday messages for son Louis
Prince William and his wife Kate thanked the public for their messages which had been sent to mark the sixth birthday of their youngest son Louis on Tuesday.
Quebec Health Department reports 28 cases of eye damage linked to solar eclipse
Quebec's Health Department says it has received 28 reports of eye damage related to the April 8 total solar eclipse that passed over southern parts of the province.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.