A police officer was shot Monday in what began as a traffic stop but spiralled within seconds into a foot chase, a carjacking and a broad-daylight gun battle in a Calgary park.
The chase ended with the suspect, a man police say was an organized crime figure, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound and found floating in the Bow River.
Insp. Darren Smith confirmed the chase at one point saw the suspect and police firing at each other with bystanders close by in Edworthy Park, west of downtown.
“(Officers) were yelling at bystanders to get behind vehicles, telling others to run,” Smith told a news conference at the park.
“It was very much a chaotic and dynamic scene.
“I would say it’s out of a movie.”
The officer, who was not identified, was shot twice but is expected to make a full recovery.
“He is stable. He’s in good spirits. He’s talking to our members,” Smith said. Police did not provide details on the injuries.
Smith said it all began at about 11:45 a.m. when a man in a black truck pulled over in a traffic stop, stepped out of the vehicle and began shooting.
As the one officer went down, the suspect fled into nearby Edworthy Park. Scores of officers from across the city were dispatched to chase him, with help from a police helicopter. Smith said the helicopter overhead struggled but managed to keep the suspect in sight as it dodged in and out of heavy bush while also facing gunfire.
“They were able to maintain eyes on the offender,” he said.
“Our HAWC helicopter played a vital role.
“On multiple occasions, our offender discharged rounds at our officers and our officers returned fire.”
A social media post went out asking people in the area to shelter in place.
John Deakin, whose house backs up onto Edworthy Park, was cleaning his eavestroughs when the gunfire began.
“I heard pop, pop and then pop, pop, pop and I thought, ‘hmm, sounds like firecrackers,’” he said.
After that, a police helicopter began circling and Deakin realized those sounds likely weren’t just firecrackers.
At one point, a man carjacked a vehicle operated by the Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railway. He drove the vehicle but ditched it after it got stuck.
The suspect was eventually found dead in the Bow River. Fire crews later assisted to pull the body out.
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, the province’s police watchdog, is investigating.
