Missing Winnipeg man's phone used to call police 3 hours before he was shot by Alberta RCMP: ASIRT
Samuel Klack's family lost touch with him, learned 3 days later he'd been shot
A missing Winnipeg man whose family says was suffering a mental health crisis remains in hospital in Calgary after he was shot by RCMP two weeks ago, according to the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT).
Three days after Calgary police asked for the public's help finding Sam Klack, he was shot by police in Red Deer.
On Tuesday, Alberta's police watchdog released new details about what led to the shooting on March 12.
ASIRT has not named Klack, but sources with knowledge of the investigation identified him in connection with the shooting and subsequent investigation.
Klack, a beloved hockey coach in Winnipeg, had moved to Calgary just weeks before he uncharacteristically lost touch with his family.
On Thursday March 9, Klack was spotted at a Holiday Inn on Banff Trail in Calgary.
Two days later, Calgary police issued a press release asking for the public's help locating Klack.
911 call made from Klack's phone
On March 12, just after 11 a.m., RCMP received a call about a man with a gun committing a carjacking in a Red Deer Walmart parking lot.
The call was made from Klack's phone, according to ASIRT.
RCMP arrived and found Klack's vehicle but could not locate the missing man.
Three hours later, two RCMP officers spotted Klack walking westbound on 67th Street in Red Deer.
Klack did not identify himself or follow officers' directions, according to ASIRT.
He then ran at the officers "and produced an item resembling a firearm from his jacket pocket which he pointed at the officers," reads part of the ASIRT release.
One officer fired his gun, the other fired a "non-lethal projectile."
Klack was shot several times and was airlifted to hospital in Calgary.
ASIRT says the interaction was captured on an RCMP in-car camera.
According to social media posts, Klack's family describe the incident as "a cry for help," and say he was suffering from mental health issues at the time.
ASIRT says the investigation, which is not yet completed, will focus on the use of force by RCMP.
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