Calgary police officer charged with two counts of second-degree murder following 2023 vehicle pursuit
Alberta's police watchdog said on Tuesday that Const. Craig Stothard had been charged on Monday, following its recommendation.
ASIRT investigated the May 29, 2023, incident that resulted in two individuals being shot and killed.
'A Calgary Police Service officer shot at occupants of a van on Memorial Drive N.E. following a slow-speed pursuit,' ASIRT said in a release.
'Two of the occupants were struck and later pronounced deceased.
'The evidence gathered during ASIRT's investigation provided reasonable grounds to believe that offences had been committed.'
On May 29, 2023, police said they received reports of a five-ton cube van being driven erratically and dangerously throughout northeast Calgary.
Police said they located the van travelling westbound on Memorial.
Cruisers were stationed at various intersections and bridges along Memorial Drive to prevent the cube van from entering the downtown core or neighbouring residential areas.
Cruisers with sirens on and lights flashing tailed the vehicle at slow speeds when police said it made a sharp U-turn onto eastbound Memorial at the intersection with Edmonton Trail N.E.
Police said as the van approached St. George's Drive N.E., officers made attempts to stop the driver but were unsuccessful.
According to police at the time, the driver continued to swerve across all lanes of traffic and refused to stop.
Police said attempts were made to contain the vehicle, but the van was able to break containment and continued moving toward officers, and one officer discharged their service firearm.
Two people were pronounced dead, and a third was taken into custody.
No officers or civilians were injured.
While Stothard was not named at the time, police said it was a 13-year member of the force who opened fire.
Stothard appeared in the Court of King's Bench on Tuesday.
He is not currently in custody.
With files from Melissa Gilligan
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