Police officer shot, suspect killed in Falconridge gunfire exchange

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A police officer was injured and a suspect killed in a shootout in a northeast strip mall parking lot Wednesday afternoon.

At about 1 p.m., police say they were executing a warrant in the 5700 block of Falsbridge Drive N.E. when gunfire erupted.

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“While attempting to arrest an individual, gunfire was exchanged resulting in one police officer and one suspect being shot,” Calgary police said in a statement.

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The injured officer, who’s served for 11 years but wasn’t named, was taken to hospital in stable condition, said police. He was released from hospital Wednesday.

Officers took into custody a man whose face and handcuffed hands were bloody, while another suspect was shot and died of their injuries in hospital, said police.

The shootout occurred in a public area that put many peoples’ lives at risk, said Acting Deputy Chief Cliff O’Brien.

“There were many witnesses to this brazen and unsettling incident … we’re always looking at public safety, public safety is paramount … the actions of others dictate what are reaction is, though,” said O’Brien.

“Our members engage in dangerous situations all the time, it’s part of being a police officer but nobody starts their shift hoping they’re going to be hurt, that they’re going to be shot. It’s an emotional day.”

He said even officers who weren’t there during the incident have been impacted by the shooting and are being offered counselling.

He said charges are pending.

The shooting occurred at the McKnight Village Shopping Centre — a busy place at that time of day — and left business owners and their customers startled.

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At least one of the business’s windows was shattered by an apparent bullet strike.

Police said they knew they were dealing with suspects with a history of firearms-related offences and included tactical team members in the arrest.

Staff at some nearby businesses were told to remain inside and lock their doors after the incident began, and police issued social media advisories to stay away from the area.

“I saw a lot of police and they told all the staff not to go outside,” said a woman who works at the Pho Hoang Restaurant.

An employee at another restaurant expressed shock, saying he was just starting his shift when police arrived, telling them to shut down temporarily.

“This is just a regular business plaza,” said a staffer at the Kabob Garden-Afghan Kitchen, who didn’t give his name.

But Trang Lee, who has operated her Van-Bella Nails & Spa at the location for the past three years, said she’s not surprised by the shootout.

“This area has lots of crime,” said Lee, adding there were multiple police cars and ambulances at the scene.

“It’s scary because there’s a high school just a block away.”

As is the norm with any officer-involved shooting, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) is investigating the incident, noted CPS.

The shooting happened about a block from where CPS Sgt. Andrew Harnett, 37, was killed while making a traffic stop on New Year’s Eve 2020.

It’s been a dangerous time for police officers in Canada, 10 of whom have been killed in the line of duty since September 2022.

BKaufmann@postmedia.com

X: @BillKaufmannjrn

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