Alberta’s police oversight agency has determined that the shooting death of a 15-year-old Indigenous youth near Edmonton was not a criminal act, and the two RCMP officers involved will not face charges.
The incident, which resulted in the death of the teenager identified as Hoss Lightning by his family, occurred in Wetaskiwin, Alberta, in the early hours of August 30, 2024. Lightning, a member of the Samson Cree Nation from Maskwacis, located approximately 20 kilometers south of the shooting site, was shot by the RCMP officers in a field.
The Alberta Serious Response Incident Team (ASIRT) investigation revealed that the officers fired up to 17 shots at Lightning, who was approaching them with his arm raised inside a backpack, creating the appearance of a gun. Despite handing over a machete and a knife to one of the officers prior to the shooting, no firearms were found on Lightning.
ASIRT’s acting executive director, Matthew Block, stated that while the events were tragic, they did not constitute criminal behavior. The report concluded that the officers acted within their rights to defend themselves given the circumstances.
A statement issued on behalf of Hoss’s family by Samson Cree Nation Coun. Izaiah Swampy-Omeasoo criticized the report as biased and contradictory, expressing disappointment and a loss of trust in the agencies responsible for public safety.
According to the ASIRT report, Lightning had called 911, expressing concerns about being followed and threatened, claiming involvement with the Hell’s Angels. When officers arrived at the scene, Lightning disclosed his possession of a machete and knife. The report highlighted Lightning’s cognitive delay, equating his mental capacity to that of a nine-year-old.
Following a series of events captured on the officer’s in-car video system, where Lightning refused a pat-down and gestured as if holding a gun in his backpack, the situation escalated, leading to the fatal shooting. The officers continued to fire even after Lightning fell to the ground, believing he posed a threat.
Despite discrepancies between the officers’ accounts and the video evidence, the report deemed the officers’ actions reasonable given the circumstances. Emergency medical assistance was summoned immediately after the shooting, but Lightning succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.
The community mourned the loss of Hoss Lightning, with a candlelight vigil held in his honor. The incident has reignited discussions about police conduct and Indigenous relations in Canada.