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Man dead, RCMP officer and woman injured: Shots fired outside Blackfalds residence Wednesday

RCMP asked some Blackfalds residents to lock doors, stay in basements earlier Wednesday
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Gunshots were fired outside a residence in Blackfalds Wednesday morning, police say.

Police confirmed Wednesday afternoon, a 27-year-old man, who was involved in the incident and fled the scene died, after a brief police chase.

At 8:15, RCMP responded to a firearms complaint at a residence in Blackfalds. More shots were fired outside a residents towards RCMP vehicles, when police arrived.

Neighbourhood residents were told to lock their doors and stay in the basements early morning. Others were asked to avoid the Lansdowne and Briarwood area in Blackfalds.

A woman, not related to the incident, suffered a gun shot wound. The woman was transported to hospital with serious injuries.

RCMP contained the area, however, the man involved in the incident fled in a vehicle.

He was located travelling northbound on the QEII. RCMP deployed a tire deflation device and a brief pursuit followed. The vehicle crossed the median and continued travelling north in the southbound lane.

The vehicle came to a stop and a confrontation occurred, RCMP said, resulting in the death of the 27-year-old man.

RCMP were on scene on QEII near Leduc area where both southbound and northbound traffic was diverted.

“It is anticipated that the RCMP will remain on scene for several hours,” police had said, around mid-morning.

One RCMP officer also suffered serious, non life-threatening injuries.

The director of law enforcement has been notified and the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) has been directed to investigate the circumstances surrounding the officer involved shooting and the actions of police.

The RCMP will continue to investigate the events leading up to the final confrontation with police.

The Town of Blackfalds was urging people to stay away from the Lansdowne and Briarwood area (Rolling Hills neighbourhood) until further notice earlier Wednesday.

The town asked the neighbourhood residents to lock their doors and to stay in their basements.

Allen Dean, who lives at the corner of Briarwood Crescent and Lansdowne Ave., said he woke up and went out for a smoke a little after 8:30 a.m. and saw the streets were blocked off along with a heavy police presence.

“There were at least four to five driving around, but the back alley right outside our house there was a police officer with what looked like an assault rifle (probably) guarding the main entrance,” he said.

“And my house is like right there.”

The resident saw a social media post asking residents to stay indoors and lock their doors, Dean said, adding, he was home along with his girlfriend, his son and his mom.

The family locked the doors and waited about 45 minutes to an hour indoors before RCMP confirmed there was no longer a public threat.

After the recent mass shooting in Nova Scotia, the incident seemed “freaky” he said adding he saw social media comments about gunshots, but he didn’t hear any.

“With everything going on it’s a bit freaky.”

“Usually when this stuff goes on, people just say ‘stay away from the area,’ but they took a little more drastic measures of telling everyone to stay in their basements, it seemed real.”



mamta.lulla@reddeeradvocate.com

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