CALGARY — A Calgary police officer has been shot after a traffic stop in the southwest community of Spruce Cliff near Edworthy Park. At approximately 11:45 a.m. Monday, police offers were conducting a traffic stop when an occupant of the vehicle fired shots, striking one of the officers.The man then fled the vehicle on foot into Edworthy Park and toward the Bow River, during which the suspect continued to actively shoot at pursuers and nearby civilians. Police say the suspect then carjacked an individual and drove through the park until the vehicle became stuck and which point, he fled on foot.He was found dead in the river.The officer was taken to hospital in stable condition.The Calgary Fire Department is currently assisting with the recovery of the suspect and authorities are currently searching Edworthy Park for an additional evidence. .One unnamed female witness said she was crossing a bridge in the park and preparing to go into a wooded area when she noticed a police helicopter circling directly overhead. “I had this feeling they're telling me not to go in the woods, so I circled back,” she said in a video posted to Facebook, adding that when she turned around she encountered three police officers behind a cement pillar near the railroad tracks.The officers began moving and ordered her to get behind a vehicle. “They said, ‘Get behind a car. Get behind your car,’ and I'm like, ‘My car's not there. So we ran and then ducked behind the cars and then they're shooting,” she said. The witness recounted how she had watched officers advance along the railway area while exchanging gunfire with an unidentified person. She attempted to escape by heading up a hill, believing higher ground would be safer but said gunfire then came from her in that direction. “Someone shot back down at us,” she said.She retreated and began moving behind trees for protection before encountering other people caught in the area.“I said, ‘We need to, like, get low.’” she said.The witness said officers subsequently moved in another direction and she saw police deploy what appeared to be spike strips across the railway tracks.Concerned that the gunman could potentially move around their position, she told the other people with her to climb the hill and get out of the area.“We’re sitting ducks here,” she said, adding they eventually made it to the top of the hill and escaped the immediate scene.Asked how many gunshots she heard, the witness said there were “a lot.”“There was at least three when I was running this way, and they were firing probably three or four,” she said. “This was a dynamic incident and new information is still coming forward,” Calgary police said in a release. “Any witnesses are asked to make contact with officers on scene or call our non-emergency line. As is standard practice with any officer-involved shooting, ASIRT has been called to investigate. No further details are available at this time.”
