ASIRT finds Edmonton police shooting during fight near Oilers watch party was justified

Alberta’s police watchdog has found officers reacted appropriately when responding to a fight and stabbing near an Edmonton Oilers watch party last spring in the city’s downtown core.

It happened on Saturday, April 29, 2023, just as the Oilers had won Game 6 of their series against the L.A. Kings and advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs.

Thousands of people were gathered in the Ice District to attend watch the away game on big screens and party.

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Extra law enforcement were on hand for the events, including the two partnered Edmonton Police Service officers involved in the shooting.

The officers who were performing crowd control responded to a weapons complaint near 101 Street and 103A Avenue after it was reported to them that multiple people had been stabbed.

The man who reportedly had the knife and his girlfriend had attended the watch party in the Ice District, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team said.

“Prior to their attendance (the man) consumed about 13 ounces of vodka and both he and (his girlfriend) consumed some cocaine. Once at the watch party, both consumed alcoholic beverages,” ASIRT said.

ASIRT said at about 9:15 p.m., the couple was walking on 101st Street, crossing at the intersection of 103A Avenue.

“While crossing the intersection words were exchanged with another group of adults,” the report stated.

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A fight broke out between the group, in which the man was involved. Due to the large number of people in the area, there were numerous witnesses, some of whom ASIRT said began calling out for police assistance.

“The ASIRT investigation disclosed that there was a fight between these two groups of adults and stab wounds were inflicted. Further details about the fight are on the ASIRT file but it is important to note that the (man) is charged with offences relating to this incident which are still before the Court. Given the importance of the presumption of innocence, and that (the officers) were clearly lawfully placed in responding to a public act of violence involving the presence of a knife, further details regarding the fight are not germane to ASIRT’s mandate,” the agency noted.

The two officers were standing on the west side of 101st Street when someone in the crowd told them there was a fight ongoing across the street.

As the police officers crossed the road, the ASIRT report on the incident said one of the officers heard someone yell “he has a knife.”

One of the officers saw the man holding a knife above a person’s head with the blade pointed down. Both police officers yelled at him to drop the knife twice, but ASIRT said the man did not, and instead moved towards the EPS duo.

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More orders for the man to drop the blade were not obeyed so the officers fired their guns, hitting the man in the abdomen and left arm.

A knife was located on scene, police said at the time, adding a woman was critically injured during the alleged stabbings and a man less seriously so.

ASIRT said the man, along with two participants in the fight, were taken to hospital. One was treated and able to leave fairly quickly. Another person involved in the fight and the man both required surgery and both spent several days in hospital, the agency said.

ASIRT found the force used was necessary and reasonable in all the circumstances, proportionate to the threat of death or grievous bodily harm that the suspect posed to both officers.

Jordan Reilly Fouquette, 20, was charged with two counts of aggravated assault and possession of a weapon dangerous to the public. As noted above, his case is still before the courts.

ASIRT is tasked with looking into incidents where people are seriously injured or killed in interactions with police across Alberta, as well as allegations of police misconduct.

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