Charges Laid Against Man Shot by Police at Southwest Calgary 7-Eleven
Multiple criminal charges have been laid against a Calgary man who was shot by police during a dangerous incident at a southwest convenience store. Authorities say the suspect was armed with a knife and deliberately set a fire inside the building, placing the public and responding officers at serious risk.
Incident Overview
The incident occurred shortly after 8:00 p.m. on Friday, September 29, 2017, marking Calgary’s second police-involved shooting of the year. Police were called to a 7-Eleven on 37 Street near Richardson Way S.W. following reports of an erratic man inside the store armed with a kitchen knife.
The suspect was later identified as Tristen Joseph Wade, 23. Details of the incident were originally reported by the Calgary Herald and can be read in full.
Charges laid against man shot by police at southwest 7-Eleven
Charges Filed
Wade faces several serious charges, including:
Arson endangering life
Possession of a weapon
Assault with a weapon
Theft under $5,000
Two counts of assaulting a police officer with a weapon
Breach of a recognizance
Police Response and Escalation
When officers arrived, Wade retreated into a back room located within the store’s Canada Post outlet. Police repeatedly urged him to drop his knife and surrender peacefully. Despite multiple opportunities to comply, the suspect exited the room several times while still armed before retreating again.
As the standoff continued, officers noticed smoke beginning to fill the store, growing thicker over time—clear signs that a fire had been set and was spreading. With smoke filling the building and the situation rapidly escalating, police were forced to act as the suspect exited the room once more.
An officer initially attempted to subdue Wade using a Taser, but it proved ineffective. A second officer then discharged his service weapon. Even after being wounded, police say Wade fell to the ground and continued to stab and cut himself with the knife.
Officers again attempted to use a Taser, but the suspect continued to refuse to surrender his weapon.
K9 Deployment and Rescue
As flames intensified inside the postal outlet, a police dog was deployed to finally disarm the suspect. Officers were able to drag Wade out of the smoke-filled area and secure the scene before the fire spread further.
Medical Response
Emergency Medical Services transported Wade to hospital with gunshot wounds, self-inflicted stab wounds, and smoke inhalation. Police confirmed he continues to recover.
Independent Investigation Underway
As required in police-involved shootings, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) has launched an independent investigation. Both the officer who fired his service weapon and the K9 handler have been designated as subject officers.
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