Alberta's police watchdog investigating after man pursued by officers falls through river ice

Update: On April 23, 2024,Alberta Serious Incident Response Team saidvideo from the Air 1 helicopter "provided a full account of the circumstances that lead to the male falling into the water."

"Given there was no use of force, and no officers were near when the male ran onto the river ice,ASIRT's mandate is fulfilled, and our investigation is concluded," ASIRT said in a news release.

Alberta's police watchdog is investigating after a man fell through ice on the North Saskatchewan River while being pursued by police in Edmonton early Tuesday.

Police said in a news release that officers attempted to stop a man on a bike for a bylaw infraction in the area of 93rd Street and 82nd Avenue at about 2:15 a.m.

The man fled on his bike into the ravine heading west toward Pioneers Cabin, an events venue on Scona Road,after police activated their emergency lights and instructed him to stop, police said.

The man was later seen heading toward the south bank of the North Saskatchewan River, just east of the Walterdale Bridge, where responding officers continued to instruct the man to stop, police said.

"The man subsequently jumped from the bank onto the river ice and drifted away from shore. He was pulled under the water moments later and has not been located," police said in a news release.

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, an independent agency that examines police incidents that result in serious injury or death, is investigating.

Criminal defence lawyer Zack Elias said therecan be manyreasons why somebody would not want to stop for the police.

"That person pulling away from them leads them to the conclusion that they must be doing something incredibly wrong or why else would they run? And I hope that that's a mindset that can change," he said.

"Somebody might be running from the police because they are continually stopped by police and harassed over something as little as if they have a reflector on their bicycle and if they are stopped enough times I could see why somebody would hesitate to put themselves through that."

Identity of man still unknown

A helicopter and other police and Edmonton fire resources on the ground immediately began searching the area for the man, police said, resuming again at daylight. The search is continuing.

The identify of the man is still under investigation and at the time of the news release on Tuesday afternoon, it was still unknown, police said.