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Murray McCoy, 54 or 56, was shot by members of Strathcona RCMP on January 16th, 2011, during an armed standoff.

McCoy was the Edmonton metro area's first homicide victim of the year.

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team is investigating.

At approximately 9:00 a.m. Sunday, January 16th, Strathcona County RCMP were called to a complaint of a man threatening to harm himself with a firearm at his residence near Range Road 223 and Township Road 510, approximately 37 kilometres southeast of Edmonton, near Beaumont.

Officers arrived and secured a perimeter around the property, advising nearby residents to remain indoors or leave their homes – read more »

Contact was made with the man and negotiations began. No one else was believed to be in the residence.

Strathcona County RCMP were backed up at the scene by the K-Division Emergency Response Team.

Shortly before 5:00 p.m., the man exited his residence and walked towards the officers.

Strathcona RCMP Cpl. Darren Anderson later told media what the man did next.

"(He) approached our members, challenged our members, waving the firearm in a threatening manner," Anderson said.

"Our members discharged their weapons and unfortunately the male subject was pronounced deceased on the scene."

The firearm was reportedly a shotgun. There was no word on how many shots were fired at the man.

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) was called out and now leads the investigation. The team looks into incidents of serious injury or death that may have resulted from the actions of police.

On Monday, ASIRT executive director Clifton Purvis provided additional details about the incident and the direction of his department's investigation.

“My role is to determine whether the RCMP committed any offences during this tragic incident,” Purvis said.

"There was information relayed to the RCMP that the male may have been suicidal.

"During the initial confrontation, when the deceased was outside, police entered the home and removed one female from the home and a number of firearms."

Seized were two long-barrelled shotguns along with some ammunition.

It was at this time Strathcona RCMP called for back up and tried to negotiate with the man.

At 4:45 p.m., he came out of the house with a loaded 12-gauge shotgun and challenged police, according to Purvis.

"After a long and protracted negotiation with police, the male exited the building with a long-barrelled firearm. The RCMP on scene fired a number of times, striking the male."

Purvis said four officers fired at the man. He died at the scene despite immediate treatment by emergency medical technicians.

The RCMP weapons used in the incident were seized.

"We'll be able to determine how many times he was struck, precisely how many rounds were fired," Purvis said, adding the medical examiner would have to determine how many bullets struck the man.

An autopsy has been scheduled for Wednesday.

Purvis suggested it was possible that parts of the incident were caught on video.

"What his motivation was at the time he engaged the RCMP will be a focus of our investigation," Purvis went on to say about speculation thet man's death was a result of so-called suicide by cop – what police term "victim-determined homicide."

"This was absolutely a very difficult situation, so I'm not at this point concluding that the reasons for his actions were suicidal.

"That's one element certainly we'll consider, but at this point it would be too early to come to that conclusion."

ASIRT investigators were said to be conducting interviews with civilian witnesses and the approximately 30 police officers involved in the standoff.

As Purvis spoke, officers could be seen sifting through snow where the shooting took place, likely looking for shell casings.

The investigation could take from six to nine months to complete.

"Ultimately it will determine whether or not the RCMP acted lawfully and whether or not another or different course of action should have been taken," Purvis said.

The four officers involved in felling the man remain on duty and were receiving counselling.

The deceased was a 56-year-old man from Strathcona County. His name was not officially released pending notification of next-of-kin.

Neighbours identified the shooting victim as Murray McCoy, a married man without children. One report indicated he was not previously known to police.

In an inteview with the Edmonton Sun, McCoy's uncle said he wasn't angry with police over the shooting. – read more »

All the information presented on this page has been compiled primarily from published media reports and should not be interpreted as having legal bearing or other prejudice against the individuals named on this web site.
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deadmonton 2011 - murray mccoy