76-year-old man armed with 'large-edged weapon' shot by police
Police called to home on Sunmount Crescent S.E. where they found a 20-year-old man injured
The Calgary police chief says an officer-involved shooting that left an elderly man dead is "tragic for everyone involved."
"Anytime you have these events it affects the membership," Chief Roger Chaffin told reporters Tuesday afternoon.
Screaming could be heard in the background as police received a call from a home in the 100 block of Sunmount Crescent S.E. about 11 a.m.
Officers arrived to find an injured and bloody 20-year-old man on the front lawn.
Vehicle found running with hose attached
Chaffin says officers heard activity in the detached garage behind the house.
"Inside they found a vehicle running with a hose attached. Officers were confronted by a man outside the vehicle in the garage," he said.
Chaffin says the 76-year-old, Bob Crowle, was unco-operative with police and came towards them with a "large-edged weapon."
"An eight-year member of the service fired his service pistol," the chief said.
Paramedics declared him deceased a short time later.
Chaffin said there was a "family relationship" between to the two men. A neighbour told CBC News the 20-year-old is Crowle's grandson.
The injured man was taken to hospital in stable, non-life threatening condition.
Neighbours said an older man lived in the home and described him as a "nice fellow" who walks his dogs around the neighbourhood.
Neighbours shocked
"Would always stop in and say, 'Hi,'" said Barb Warrior.
"He had some surgery a few weeks ago and looked to be feeling a little off but he was still out walking his dogs this past week."
Warrior said the man lived in the home with his wife.
Another neighbour, John, called Crowle the "nicest guy ever."
John said Crowle's daughter and her son moved in recently and things went downhill.
"He had a rough time with his grandson. I think he was driven to the edge. I think his grandson pushed him to the edge," John said.
He added Crowle was "just a calm, easy-going neighbour." Crowle recently picked apples from his tree and dropped them off to his neighbours as an act of kindness.
There have now been seven police shootings this year in Calgary, three of them fatal.
Chaffin said a string of officer-involved shootings in the city are unrelated but that training and resources are reviewed after each one.
"It's been a difficult year. We have had some difficult situations," Chaffin said. "Things change quickly."
The chief says in this case he fully supports the actions of the officer.
"I believe our officer did the best he could under the situation."
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) is also investigating.
Corrections
- An earlier version of this story said in the summary that there had been seven fatal police shootings this year. In fact, there have been three deaths, although there were seven instances in which officers discharged their firearms in the line of duty.Oct 12, 2016 1:05 PM MT
With files from Dave Gilson, Dave Dormer, Mike Spenrath and Mike Symington