Calgary police Chief Mark Neufeld said officers had no knowledge of a shooting victim’s prior mental health history and were responding to an assault call.

On Saturday afternoon, 41-year-old Latjor Tuel was shot and killed by Calgary police on 17 Avenue SE and 44 Street.

According to a release from the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT), the body responsible for investigating police incidents, CPS responded to a 911 call at 3:41 p.m. about a man on 17 Avenue SE with a stick and a knife. One caller reported the man had hit someone with the stick.

Five minutes later officers were on scene. Tuel was still holding the stick and knife, according to ASIRT. Other officers arrived and surrounded Tuel, who was sitting on the sidewalk. ASIRT said video shows officers asking Tuel to drop the stick and knife.

They said at 4:02 p.m. Tuel got up and officers fired less-lethal baton rounds at Tuel, ASIRT said. According to the report, Tuel then got up and advanced toward officers.

A police dog, on a lead, approached Tuel before being pulled back, ASIRT said.  Tuel continued to move towards officers, swung the stick and stabbed the dog. Officers then attempted to use a Taser on Tuel. 

A “confrontation” between Tuel and officers occurred, ASIRT said, and two officers fired at Tuel.  He died at the scene.

Chief Neufeld said he attended the scene Saturday and could see the emotion.

“On behalf of all members of the Calgary police service, I offer my most sincere condolences and acknowledge the pain that is being felt by his family and friends, both here and back home,” Chief Neufeld said at a news conference Tuesday.

“By all accounts, Mr. Tuel was well known and well respected in his community, and his death is most certainly being felt by many.”