Calgary police officer charged in relation to 2022 shooting incident involving a man with a sword

A Calgary police officer was charged Wednesday in relation to a 2022 incident where a man with a sword in a northwest Calgary parkade was shot.

A Calgary police officer has been charged with aggravated assault for shooting a man brandishing a sword in northwest Calgary more than two years ago.

Just before midnight on Dec. 21, 2022, police responded to reports of an armed man in a parkade of Varsity Estates Circle NW.

Police arrived at 11:49 p.m. and located the man, holding a sword. The man barricaded himself in a mechanical room, where police spoke to him.

After some time, police deployed a pepper spray fogger into the mechanical room.

The man came out holding the sword and there was a confrontation between police and the man at 1:55 p.m.

Police fired rubber ARWEN rounds at the suspect, then a police officer shot him.

A police service dog disarmed the man, and paramedics transported him to hospital with serious injuries.

A CPS K-9 handler suffered a cut to his face during the response and was treated on scene.

On Thursday, ASIRT said its investigation “provided reasonable grounds to believe offences has been committed.”

The agency passed its findings on to the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service (ACPS) to determine if there was sufficient evidence to prosecute.

Following a review, the ACPS decided the incident met the criteria.

On Wednesday, Calgary police officer Christopher Huggins was charged with aggravated assault and careless use of a firearm.

Huggins was released on an undertaking. He’s scheduled to appear in court March 21 in Calgary.

With files from Timm Bruch and Ryan White