An investigation by Alberta’s police watchdog has determined that the fatal shooting of a 15-year-old Indigenous teenager south of Edmonton was not a criminal act, resulting in no charges against the two RCMP officers involved in the incident.
The teenager, identified by family members as Hoss Lightning, was shot and killed in Wetaskiwin, Alberta, in the early hours of August 30, 2024. Lightning, a member of the Samson Cree Nation from Maskwacis, located less than 20 kilometers south of the shooting location, tragically lost his life.
The Alberta Serious Response Incident Team (ASIRT) investigation revealed that the RCMP officers fired up to 17 shots at Lightning as he approached one of them in a field. The officers believed Lightning was pointing a gun at them, although he was actually holding his arm up inside a backpack.
Despite handing over a machete and a knife to one of the officers earlier, no firearms were found on Lightning. ASIRT’s acting executive director, Matthew Block, stated that the officers could argue that their use of force was necessary for self-defense, given the circumstances.
A statement from Samson Cree Nation Coun. Izaiah Swampy-Omeasoo, representing Lightning’s family, criticized the report as biased and contradictory, causing continued pain and a loss of trust in public safety institutions.
The ASIRT report disclosed that Lightning had called 911 shortly before the incident, expressing fear that someone was pursuing him to harm him. The first responding officer discovered Lightning near a McDonald’s, where Lightning disclosed he possessed a machete and a knife. The officer was aware of Lightning’s cognitive delay, equivalent to that of a nine-year-old.
During the encounter, Lightning resisted being patted down, leading to a confrontation where he allegedly gestured as if holding a gun in his backpack. Subsequently, both officers fired shots at Lightning, who fell to the ground and continued to gesture inside the backpack.
The ASIRT report clarified that the officers continued shooting for a few seconds after Lightning fell, deeming their actions reasonable considering the unfolding events. Medical assistance was summoned promptly, but Lightning succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.
The tragic incident has sparked controversy and calls for accountability within the community, as the family continues to seek justice and healing through traditional means.