The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team. Photo: APTN file
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, or ASIRT said police used reasonable force in the case of a Kehewin Cree Nation man who was shot by police on March 9, 2022.
According to a press release by the Alberta RCMP at approximately 10:30 p.m, Bonnyville RCMO and the Cold Lake RCMP Police Dog Service were outside a residence on Kehewin Cree Nation looking for a 22-year-old suspect in a homicide investigation.
The ASIRT report says that the suspect man then came out of the residence, holding a firearm. At approximately 10:30 p.m., a confrontation between the man, who pointed his hand gun at one of the officers and according to a witness, fired a shot. and the officers occurred and two officers shot the man multiple times.
Officers then called for medical assistance and provided first aid before handing over care to EMS.
The man was transported by ground to a nearby hospital with serious injuries. He was later transported to an Edmonton area hospital by air ambulance where he remains in hospital in stable condition, according to ASIRT.
The RCMP later announced that Trisyn Trey Badger, 22 was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in the death of a 54-year-old victim. RCMP have not released further information on the name of the victim.
Trisyn Trey Badger’s next trial date is in St. Paul, Alta., Feb. 12, 2025.
The report found that officers in the situation acted reasonable and “faced suddenly with the armed [man] there was little else they could have done.”
“The force used was proportionate, necessary, and reasonable in all the circumstances. As a result, there are no grounds to believe that an offence was committed,” wrote Matthew Block, the ASIRT assistant executive director.
The community has been in the news recently for the announcement that on April 28, 2024 the Bonnyville RCMP have executed a search warrant on a residence in Kehewin Cree Nation. During the search, police say they located stolen property, drugs and firearms. Items recovered include Milwaukee tools, an ATV, identification, two firearms, and 69.9 grams of crystal methamphetamine.
