Fatal Fort McMurray shootout began with request to remove shoes
A shootout with police that ended with a man’s death grew from a dispute over a request to remove his shoes, a fatality inquiry report says.
Ahmad Abdallah was shot and killed by RCMP officers in a Fort McMurray apartment almost four years ago.
The fatality inquiry into the shooting wrapped up in October.
Abdallah was visiting the apartment of an acquaintance before 3:30 a.m. on Mar. 16, 2011 when he was asked to remove his shoes, provincial court Judge Jim Jacques wrote in his report released Thursday.
When another guest urged him to show respect, Abdallah pulled out a handgun and told the guest to shut up.
One of the guests left the apartment, only to return when she realized she had forgotten her phone.
She locked herself in the bathroom and called 911. During the call Abdallah fired the pistol into the floor twice.
Five police officers arrived minutes later and, fearing for the safety of the people inside, smashed the glass door of building with the butt of a shotgun.
As they approached the apartment, Abdallah, holding a beer in his left hand, raised his 9mm Glock handgun and fired at the officers.
The lead officer returned fire with his shotgun, hitting Abdallah on the left side.
As he fell, Abdallah continued to fire, hitting and seriously wounding another officer.
A second officer would have been wounded had the bullet not struck the officer’s police radio, the report said.
The wounded officer then fired her pistol, also striking Abdallah.
Both of Abdallah’s wounds would have been fatal on their own, the report said.
Toxicology results later showed Abdallah was inebriated and high on methamphetamine.
In his report, Jacques said the officers involved in the incident did precisely what they should have done under the circumstances.
“They responded promptly, intelligently and bravely to a potentially life threatening situation.”
“It is not unlikely that (officers who shot Abdallah) saved not only their own lives, but those of their fellow officers by reacting rapidly and accurately to a deadly threat.”
Jacques said he therefore could make no recommendations on how to prevent a similar death in the future.
