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Kinling Robin Fire, 38, was shot by police on March 31st, 2011.

Fire was Edmonton's 15th homicide victim of the year.

The case is under investigation by the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team.

Late March 30th, 2011, police responded to a complaint of a distraught man in the city's west end.

Just after midnight on March 31st, officers located the man in his PT Cruiser in a parking lot behind an apartment building 10007 155 Street.

What happened next is now the subject of an investigation by the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT), the provincial body that looks into police activity that results in death or serious injury.

According to police, 38-year-old Kinling Robin Fire emerged from his vehicle and threatened officers with a weapon (later said to be a pipe).

When Fire ignored orders to drop the weapon, one officer shot twice – striking him in the chest and stomach.

Fire was rushed to hospital where, despite treatment, he died of his injuries.

Family said Fire was upset over a custody dispute and had digested a bottle of sleeping pills. However, they dispute claims he was armed or anticipated suicide by cop (what police term "victim-determined homicide").

Neither officer attending the scene was equipped with a Taser.

The officer who pulled the trigger was the father of a 15-month old child and had three years of experience on the force. He was said to be traumatised by the incident and was granted leave. The other officer at the scene had about one year of service.

Edmonton police Victim Services and the Critical Incident Stress Management Team were called in to provide support.

Faye Bitternose said her uncle "was a good man."

"He was bettering himself. He worked ... he was a single father ... he really loved his son."

It was the second police-involved death of the year.

On February 5th, 17-year-old Cyrus Green was shot in a restaurant parking lot east of the Coliseum LRT station.

Police said Green had challenged officers with a knife and a baseball bat.

Green's shooting is also under investigation by ASIRT.

More to come ...

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deadmonton 2011 - kinling robin fire