Woman with knife fatally shot by police after Deerfoot traffic stop; ASIRT investigating
Posted Jun 26, 2026 11:51 am.
Last Updated Jun 26, 2026 3:50 pm.
Alberta’s police watchdog is investigating a fatal police shooting on Deerfoot Trail after officers confronted a woman inside a stopped SUV that was reportedly driving erratically.
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) says Calgary police were first called about a driver acting strangely near Deerfoot Meadows on Sunday.
Calgary police inspector Mike Anderson said earlier this week they believed the suspect was driving erratically and evading police for up to 24 hours.
Officers found a small SUV travelling north on Deerfoot Trail between Memorial Drive and 16 Avenue NE and used their vehicles to stop it in the far left lane at about 5:30 p.m. Northbound traffic was shut down and the southbound lanes at 16 Avenue were closed shortly afterward.
The woman remained inside the SUV, according to ASIRT.
Early information from officers indicated she had a knife. Police attempted to communicate with her, but she did not get out.
Roughly 20 minutes after the stop, officers approached the passenger side, broke the window and deployed pepper spray. Investigators say the woman exited the vehicle and moved toward officers.
Police then used a projectile launcher and a Taser, and one officer fired a rifle. ASIRT says the sequence of those events is still under investigation.
Officers approached the woman and found a knife. They provided first aid with EMS before she was taken to hospital in critical condition, where she later died.
ASIRT is now looking into whether the force used by police was appropriate.
No further details will be released while the investigation is ongoing.
