Edmonton Police Release Video of Fatal Shooting Involving Matthew Arkangelo
The Edmonton Police Service has released video footage of a fatal shooting that occurred on June 9, 2021, involving 25-year-old Matthew Arkangelo. The video, captured by a police body-worn camera, shows the events leading up to the shooting and has been made public in an effort to provide transparency and accountability to the community.
According to the police, the incident began when officers responded to a call about a man behaving erratically and carrying a weapon in the area of 118 Avenue and 42 Street. The video shows officers approaching Arkangelo, who was holding a knife, and repeatedly asking him to drop the weapon. Despite their efforts to de-escalate the situation, Arkangelo continued to advance towards the officers, prompting one of them to discharge their firearm.
The video also captures the moments after the shooting, with officers immediately providing medical aid to Arkangelo until paramedics arrived. He was then transported to hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.
The release of the video comes after calls from the public and community leaders for transparency and accountability in police-involved shootings. Edmonton Police Chief Dale McFee stated that the decision to release the footage was made in the interest of transparency and to provide the public with a better understanding of the events that took place.
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) is currently investigating the shooting, as is standard procedure in any police-involved incident resulting in serious injury or death. ASIRT has stated that they will review the video footage as part of their investigation.
The Edmonton Police Service has also stated that they will be conducting an internal review to ensure that all policies and procedures were followed during the incident.
The release of the video has sparked discussions about the use of force by police and the need for better training and resources for dealing with individuals in mental health crises. Community leaders have called for a thorough and transparent investigation into the shooting and for measures to be taken to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
The Edmonton Police Service has urged the public to reserve judgment until the investigations are complete and all the facts are known. They have also expressed their condolences to the family and friends of Matthew Arkangelo.
The video footage can be viewed on the Edmonton Police Service’s YouTube channel.
