Alberta’s police watchdog has concluded that officers responded appropriately when dealing with a fight and stabbing near an Edmonton Oilers viewing party last spring in the city’s downtown core.
It occurred 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 individuals were gathered in the Ice District to watch the away game on large screens and celebrate.
Additional law enforcement were present for the events, including the two partnered Edmonton Police Service officers involved in the shooting.
The officers who were maintaining crowd control responded to a weapons complaint near 101 Street and 103A Avenue after receiving reports of multiple people being stabbed.
The man who allegedly had the knife and his girlfriend had attended the viewing 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 viewing 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.
A physical altercation occurred between the groups, 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 for police assistance.
“The ASIRT investigation revealed that there was an altercation between these two groups of adults and stab wounds were inflicted. Further details about the altercation 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 altercation are not pertinent to ASIRT’s mandate,” the agency noted.
The two officers were positioned on the west side of 101st Street when an individual in the crowd informed them that there was a confrontation ongoing across the street.
As the police officers crossed the road, the ASIRT report on the incident said one of the officers heard someone shout “he has a knife.”
One of the officers observed the man holding a knife above a person’s head with the blade pointed down. Both police officers shouted at him to drop the knife twice, but ASIRT said the man did not, and instead advanced towards the EPS duo.
Additional commands for the man to drop the blade were not followed so the officers discharged their guns, striking the man in the abdomen and left arm.
A knife was found at the scene, police said at the time, adding a woman was critically injured during the purported stabbings and a man less so.
ASIRT said the man, along with two participants in the altercation, were taken to hospital. One was treated and able to leave fairly quickly. Another individual involved in the altercation and the man both needed surgery and both spent several days in hospital, the agency said.
ASIRT determined that the force used was necessary and reasonable given all the circumstances, and was in proportion to the threat of death or serious bodily harm that the suspect posed to both officers.
Jordan Reilly Fouquette, 20, has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault and possession of a dangerous weapon for the public. As mentioned earlier, his case is still in front of the courts. ASIRT's responsibility is to investigate cases where individuals are seriously injured or killed in encounters with the police throughout Alberta, as well as accusations of police misconduct.
Alberta's police oversight body has concluded that officers responded appropriately when they shot a suspect who was stabbing people near an Edmonton Oilers watch party last spring in the downtown area of the city.
