Brutality Canada Police Brutality O Canada

Hobbema RCMP shoot man pointing gun

Man arrested, taken to hospital, expected to recover

Conal Mullen, Journal Staff Writer
The Edmonton Journal
Sunday 3 June 2001

Hobbema RCMP shot and injured a gun-toting man late Friday after residents of the Samson reserve told police they spotted a man wandering around town with a firearm.

Insp. Brian Simpson, officer in charge of the Hobbema detachment, said two police officers confronted the gunman about 8:45 p.m. behind a local res-idence.

"This individual lowered the firearm in the direction of the members, despite being told to freeze and drop the weapon," Simpson said.

"As a result of the threat, one member fired two shots."

Simpson said the man was arrested and taken to University Hospital in Edmonton with non-life-threatening injuries.

Police were not saying where the man was struck by the bullets.

But Dennis Greene, who said the victim was his son Denny, said one bullet missed and the other hit him in the waist.

"It went right through. He's doing good."

Greene said he wasn't angry at police but grateful they didn't fatally shoot his son.

He said he's already dealing with two recent deaths in the family.

"We just buried his sister on Thursday. My stepson died in March, the same thing, suicide."

Greene said the community is in crisis from high unemployment, despair, and alcohol abuse, and he wants something done.

He said others feel the same way and will take action if nothing is done.

"We'll shut down all those roads and confiscate all liquor and drugs."

Simpson said there was no indication the gunman used his weapon, but residents and police officers believed the man was a threat.

Simpson said the RCMP has a process in place to help police officers deal with shootings.

"Those are extremely stressful situations," he said.

"Nobody joins the job wanting to have this happen."

The RCMP investigation continues.

Reprinted under the Fair Use doctrine of international copyright law.

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This page created July 15, 2001