Man shot by police during arrest attempt

Item

A photo of the crime scene at night, showing several police vans, an ambulance, and a group of first responders (police and paramedics) gathered nearby. Behind them, a white tarp is laid over a body on the ground.
A photo of the crime scene at night, with a white tarp laid over a body on the ground. In the foreground, a group of first responders including police, and TEMS (Tactical Emergency Medical Support) personnel are gathered, next to several police vans.
A photo of the crime scene at night, roped off with yellow crime scene tape. A body on the ground is covered by a white tarp; a group of first responders are gathered in the background and a police officer walks past in the foreground.
A photo of the crime scene at night. A body covered by a white tarp lies on the ground between a white van and an ambulance. First responders are gathered nearby and in the back of the ambulance.
A photo of what appears to be the passenger side of the front windshield of a white vehicle; 11 bullet holes are visible in the windshield.
A photo of a white sedan with multiple bullet holes in the windshield and the front bumper compressed into the front of a black van. Numerous yellow evidence markers and police tape surround the scene.
A photo of a handgun on the floor mat of a car, beside a yellow evidence marker
A screenshot of a tweet by user Dustin Cook (@dustin_cook3) showing a taped-off crime scene, with a white sedan crashed front bumper-to-bumper with a black van. Text reads "Scene remains taped off outside Westmount McDonald's. Police are present and cars are within the tape. Car damage to front of Mercedes"
Incident ID
210,004
Incident Title
Man shot by police during arrest attempt
Incident Date
9 September 2017
Incident Description
Matt Dumas was shot by Edmonton Police Service officers when trying to flee during an arrest attempt at Westmount Mall. Police attempted to box in Dumas, who was wanted on outstanding warrants related to drug trafficking, after tailing his vehicle to a parking lot at Westmount Mall. Three unmarked vehicles surrounded Dumas' parked car, which also had two female passengers, and turned on their emergency lights. Officers threw two flash-bang grenades towards the vehicle, and instructed the passengers to exit the vehicle with their hands up. Per the ASIRT report, all three individuals held up their hands for several seconds but did not exit the vehicle, before Dumas rammed the police vehicles to the rear and then the front of his car. Officers then threw 2 canisters of CS gas (tear gas) into the vehicle through the passenger window, and again pinned Dumas' car in place with their vehicles. As the officers began to attempt to remove the passengers, Dumas drew a handgun from a bag around his neck. Per the ASIRT report, one officer repeatedly told Dumas "don't do it", and another officer fired an ARWEN baton round (a "less-than-lethal" crowd control device that fires plastic rounds) that struck Dumas. Dumas then pointed his gun at one of the officers, at which point three officers opened fire on him. According to the ASIRT report (2020), the evidence is "unequivocal" that Dumas fired two rounds, which lodged in the dashboard of his vehicle; eyewitness reports suggest the police fired approximately 13 rounds. Dumas was struck multiple times and declared dead on the scene by a paramedic who accompanied the tactical response team. The two women in the car and officers were not injured. The coroner's report found traces of methamphetamine in his system, which the Executive Director of ASIRT, Susan Hughson, stated likely contributed to his "irrational decision" to attempt to flee and fire on the officers (Edmonton Journal, January 27, 2020). The ASIRT investigation concluded that the officers' use of force was justified; a Public Fatality Inquiry has yet to be scheduled as of November 2021.

Friends of Dumas indicated that he had suffered increasing problems with drugs following the suicide of his twin brother in 2011. He was described as a "loving man" and one friend who spoke to media indicated he had young children.
Description Type
Non-eyewitness, based on documentation
Incident City
Edmonton
Incident Neighbourhood
Westmount
Injuries Incurred
Multiple gunshot wounds;
Fatal
Weapon used
ARWEN;
Guns (unspecified)
Type of Abuse
Fatal violence
Victim Gender
Man
Victim Race
White
Authority Involved
Edmonton Police Service
Court Cases
ASIRT Investigation opened September 11, 2017
ASIRT Investigation concluded January 2020, found use of force justified
Public Fatality Inquiry to be scheduled, listed "To be scheduled" as of March 24, 2021
Court Documents
ASIRT News Release - Investigation Opened (2017)
ASIRT News Release - Investigation Concluded (2020)
Media Coverage
Edmonton Sun, September 9, 2017
Global News, September 10, 2017
Edmonton Journal, September 11, 2017
Edmonton Sun, September 11, 2017
CBC News, September 11, 2017
Edmonton Journal, January 27, 2020
Global News, January 27, 2020
CBC Deadly Force
Submission Source
Research team
Submission Source Link
CBC Deadly Force
Confidentiality/Restrictions
From published source
Archive Publication Date
15 November 2021
Multimedia Type
Still image (photo)
Item sets
Fatal Incidents
Media
A photo of the crime scene at night, showing several police vans, an ambulance, and a group of first responders (police and paramedics) gathered nearby. Behind them, a white tarp is laid over a body on the ground.210004 Crime Scene Photo 1
A photo of the crime scene at night, with a white tarp laid over a body on the ground. In the foreground, a group of first responders including police, and TEMS (Tactical Emergency Medical Support) personnel are gathered, next to several police vans.210004 Crime Scene Photo 2
A photo of the crime scene at night, roped off with yellow crime scene tape. A body on the ground is covered by a white tarp; a group of first responders are gathered in the background and a police officer walks past in the foreground.210004 Crime Scene Photo 3
A photo of the crime scene at night. A body covered by a white tarp lies on the ground between a white van and an ambulance. First responders are gathered nearby and in the back of the ambulance.210004 Crime Scene Photo 4
A photo of what appears to be the passenger side of the front windshield of a white vehicle; 11 bullet holes are visible in the windshield.210004 Crime Scene Photo 5
A photo of a white sedan with multiple bullet holes in the windshield and the front bumper compressed into the front of a black van. Numerous yellow evidence markers and police tape surround the scene.210004 Crime Scene Photo 6
A photo of a handgun on the floor mat of a car, beside a yellow evidence marker210004 Crime Scene Photo 7
A screenshot of a tweet by user Dustin Cook (@dustin_cook3) showing a taped-off crime scene, with a white sedan crashed front bumper-to-bumper with a black van. Text reads "Scene remains taped off outside Westmount McDonald's. Police are present and cars are within the tape. Car damage to front of Mercedes"210004 Crime Scene Photo 8
ASIRT News Release - Investigation Opened (2017)
ASIRT News Release - Investigation Concluded (2020)
A news segment from Global News that aired on September 10, 2017, regarding the shooting.Global News Coverage, September 10, 2017