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Man who set fires at Calgary city hall lost testicle during police standoff: watchdog

Darpan News Desk, 12 Dec, 2024 12:40 PM

Alberta's police watchdog says a machete-wielding man who set fire to Calgary city hall in 2022 ended up losing a testicle after police shot him nine times with anti-riot guns.

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, or ASIRT, says officers responded to calls about an unknown man who broke into the building armed with a machete and set a number of fires.

Agency executive director Michael Ewenson says police tried to disarm the man with anti-riot guns, which shoot hard plastic bullets, injuring his genitals.

One of the man's testicles had to be surgically removed, while only a portion of the other could be saved.

Ewenson says the weapons caused significant injury, but their use was "reasonably necessary" and that the injury was an "unfortunate and unintended consequence" of a lawful use of force.

Calgary police have previously said the man may have been experiencing a mental health crisis.

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