Edmonton police released more details at a media conference on Friday about the events that led to the death of two officers.
Edmonton Police Service constables Brett Ryan, left, and Travis Jordan, right are seen in this undated FEATURE photo. Ryan and Jordan were killed while responding to a domestic dispute in west Edmonton on March 16, 2023. (Photos provided by Edmonton Police Service.)
Around 12:47 a.m. on Thursday, Const. Travis Jordan and Const. Brett Ryan responded to a family dispute call at an apartment complex near 114 Avenue and 132 Street.
When they arrived, police say they were met by a 55-year-old woman outside the complex.
The officers went to the suite where she lived with a 73-year-old man and their 16-year-old son.
Police say when they arrived outside the suite, both officers were shot multiple times by the teen, and were immediately incapacitated.
A struggle ensued between the woman and the teen over the firearm, and the boy shot his mother, before fatally shooting himself, police said.
The boy’s father was in another room when the shooting happened, and was not injured.
Neither officer fired their service weapon, police say.
“They were there, ready to respond to that domestic call, and they never made it inside the apartment,” Deputy Chief Devin Laforce told reporters.
EMS and additional police officers arrived on scene after multiple calls to 911.
One of the officers was transported to hospital by a police vehicle.
The other officer was taken to hospital by ambulance, as was the mother of the teen.
She remains in hospital in serious, but stable condition.
Both officers were declared deceased after arriving at the hospital.
Laforce confirmed both officers were wearing body armour when they were shot.
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team has been notified of the incident as the teen died in the presence of police.
Autopsies for both officers will be conducted over the weekend.
An autopsy will be conducted on the teen on March 22.
Funeral arrangements for the officers will be made public when they are available.
KNOWN TO POLICE, BUT NO CRIMINAL CHARGES
At the news conference, reporters asked police if the boy would be identified, given that he’s under 18 and his identity would have been protected by the Youth Criminal Justice Act if he survived.
“There are a lot of considerations into whether his name is eventually released. It is possible, but to be fair to the investigation, the autopsy isn’t even until next week,” Laforce said.
Investigators did confirm the boy was known to police, but had never faced any charges.
“The youth did not have a criminal record. The dealings that he did have with police in the past were all non-criminal in nature,” Supt. Shane Perka said.
Police said that officers had been called to the apartment at least one other time in an incident that was classified as a mental health call.
They did not release any other details about the boy’s history, including whether he’d been involved with any social or mental health services.
“These are all things that we want to find answers to, we just don’t have those answers yet as far as his personal past, or his involvement in any systems.”
Laforce and Perka said police don’t know what led to the domestic dispute call on Thursday, but there was nothing to suggest the call would turn violent.
“There was nothing that flagged this that would require any extra services. The call itself was a non-violent domestic dispute where a mother’s having difficulty with her 16-year-old son,” Laforce said. “There was nothing to really indicate that this was a dangerous or high-threat violent response for our members.”
The boy’s father is cooperating with the investigation, police said, and his mother is still unresponsive in hospital.
EPS NOT RELEASING INFORMATION ABOUT FIREARM
Police were questioned repeatedly about the firearm used in the fatal shooting, but revealed few details, including what type of firearm it is.
“We have to investigate the tracings of that firearm and whether or not it’s related to any other offences,” Laforce said.
Perka added there is no evidence to suggest the parents knew their son had a gun
