Knecht said the shooting happened at about 8 p.m., when several officers came under fire while executing a warrant for criminal harassment at a home in the Ormsby area, around 182nd Street and 62A Avenue. Knecht said the shots were fired from inside the home as the officers attempted to enter the residence.
After the shooting, a large fire started at the house where the shooting took place, burning the structure to the ground.
The suspect was last seen inside the burning home. Knecht said no suspects were in custody, but said he didn’t believe there was a further risk to the public.
Knecht told the
Edmonton Journal
he couldn’t speak to the possible involvement of the suspect with the Freemen on the Land or “sovereign citizen” movement, but may be able to address that at a press conference slated for 8:30 Tuesday morning. The Freemen on the Land are considered to be anti-police and anti-government, and are labelled by the FBI as a domestic terrorist movement.
Knecht said Const. Woodall was originally from Great Britain and joined EPS after immigrating to Canada. He was in patrol before joining the hate crime unit.