Man killed by gunfire during struggle with police

Item

Incident ID
220020
Incident Title
Man killed by gunfire during struggle with police
Incident Date
10 May 2009
Incident Description
On May 10, 2009, two police officers confronted Shawn Price and attempted to arrest him for an armed robbery that had occurred minutes before. Price pulled an object from his pocket and threw it on the ground - the object was a crack pipe, which according to some reports the police may have believed was a weapon, causing them to escalate and try to take Price into custody. Price resisted the officers' attempts to handcuff him, and as he wrestled with Constable Horchuk, the other officer Constable Gowin struck him with her baton several times. Price pulled at various elements of Cst Horchuk's uniform before placing his hand on the officer's holstered service pistol. Cst Horchuk yelled to Cst Gowin that Price was "going for my gun". Cst Gowin first shot Price in the back, and when the altercation continued, she shot him again in the chest. As Price and Cst Horchuk continued to struggle on the ground, she placed her foot on Price's head and prepared to fire again, at which time he stopped struggling. (Source: Public Fatality Inquiry). Price's girlfriend, who was a witness to the event, told media that police shot Price when he was already "under control" and on the ground, although another witness claimed Price was standing when he was shot. He was treated on the scene by emergency medical services personnel and taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The incident was investigated by ASIRT and was the subject of a Public Fatality Inquiry, both of which found the officers acted appropriately in the situation.
Description Type
Non-eyewitness, based on documentation
Incident City
Edmonton
Incident Neighbourhood
Central McDougall
Injuries Incurred
Gunshots
Fatal
Weapon used
Gun: Service weapon
Type of Abuse
Physical violence
Fatal violence
Victim Gender
Man
Authority Involved
Edmonton Police Service
Officer Physical Description
Two officers
Officer Gender
Woman
Man
Complaint Filed
ASIRT Investigation opened 2009
Public Fatality Inquiry
Submission Source
Research team
Confidentiality/Restrictions
From published source
Archive Publication Date
12 April 2022
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