Man killed, Alberta RCMP officer injured, after car chase on Queen Elizabeth II Highway

An RCMP officer was injured, but did not sustain life-threatening injuries.

It was shortly after 8 a.m. on Wednesday that RCMP officers were called to a home in Blackfalds, north of Red Deer, for a gun complaint. RCMP received gunfire upon arrival, and a woman bystander sustained serious injuries before being taken to a nearby hospital.

The suspect fled in a vehicle despite efforts to contain him.

RCMP located his vehicle and engaged in pursuit heading north on the Queen Elizabeth II Highway. They attempted to stop him with use of a spike belt across the road, but the suspect breached the median and remained going north, but on the southbound side of the highway.

The confrontation happened when the vehicle was stopped. The man's name has not been released.

A witness, Dale Slater, described the scene, saying that he was headed south in his own vehicle about 9:30 a.m. when he saw an RCMP vehicle driving against traffic, going north on the southbound side. He pulled over to let the RCMP pass.

"There were five or six SUVs on the wrong side of the road chasing a black BMW and then suddenly someone hit the back of the BMW, it looked like, and spun him sideways," Slater told CBC.

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) confirmed that it was investigating the shooting. After the incident, the RCMP closed down that stretch of a the Queen Elizabeth II Highway to conduct their investigation, according to CTV News.

"It is anticipated that the RCMP will remain on scene for several hours," police said. Traffic moving southbound was diverted at Highway 39 and traffic headed northbound was diverted at Glen Park Road.

The Town of Blackfalds asked residents to stay at home on Wednesday morning "due to a police matter."

"For residents of the area, police are advising that you lock your doors and stay in your basements," Blackfalds officials posted on the their Facebook page.

Alberta RCMP later confirmed there had been an incident in Blackfalds, but that it had since been resolved.

"There is no threat to the public," wrote the police in their tweet.

The investigation into what motivated the incident is still ongoing.