Edmonton City Hall shooter was politically motivated, supporting terrorism charges: RCMP
Posted March 5, 2024 1:58 pm.
Last Updated March 5, 2024 3:05 pm.
Police allege the “heavily armed” Edmonton City Hall shooter was politically motivated, which they say prompted terrorism charges.
Bezhani Sarvar, 28, is accused of firing several rounds from an assault-style rifle and throwing a Molotov cocktail inside the Edmonton municipal building on Jan. 23.
“We do believe it’s a politically motivated crime and the ideology, we believe, in this case was political,” said Supt. Glenn Sells, the officer in charge of RCMP’s Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET).
INSET, which is Canada’s national security police, and Edmonton police are investigating separately but in parallel.
The information police were able to provide at Tuesday’s press conference was limited.
RCMP, for instance, believe the accused acted alone. “But I won’t be able to speak any more in relation to ideology or other motivation,” Sells said.
Neither could the RCMP official comment on the “evidentiary value” of a manifesto-style video that appeared to be produced by the suspect prior to the shooting.
“What I can tell you is that the video you’re referring to formed part of our investigation,” he said.
“Ultimately, from our perspective, we are aware of it and it did form part of our investigation.”
Sells also said it would be “premature” to discuss any potential assessments related to the suspect’s mental health. He couldn’t comment on the suspect’s intentions, either.
“But I would suggest that we were very lucky that people weren’t injured,” Sells said. “And that more damage didn’t occur given the weapons that were involved and how it unfolded. We were very lucky.”
Police have said a man entered city hall through an underground parkade, fired a gun and lit Molotov cocktails, which caused a small fire outside an elevator. The bullets shattered glass and punctured ceilings and walls. There were no injuries.
Police say the man then dropped the firearm on the floor and surrendered to a city hall security commissionaire, who detained him until police arrived. The suspect has also been identified as a commissionaire security guard who did not personally provide security at city hall.
On Tuesday, RCMP said they seized an SKS assault-style rifle, three prohibited rifle magazines, 150 rounds of ammunition and four gasoline-filled Molotov cocktails from the scene.
Terrorism charges laid ‘relatively infrequently’: RCMP
Sarvar is facing 11 charges in connection with the attack on city hall — two terrorism-related offences and nine provincial charges “relayed through a terrorism lens.”
The two terrorism-related charges are counselling commission of terrorism, and possession of property for terrorist purposes. The other nine charges are:
- Intentionally or recklessly cause damage by fire or explosion to property, knowing the property was inhabited;
- Intentionally possess incendiary material while committing an indictable offence;
- Use of a firearm while committing an indictable offence;
- Intentional discharge of a firearm while being reckless as to the life and safety of another person;
- Possession of a prohibited device (two counts);
- Mischief;
- Carrying a concealed weapon; and,
- Possession of a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence.
Sells called the laying of charges “relatively complex” and admitted terrorism charges in Canada are “relatively infrequent.”
“However, at the end of that, ultimately, Public Prosecution Service Canada makes the determination whether or not, with Attorney General consent, whether or not we’ll lay them,” he said. “In this case, all the elements required did exist… to lay those those charges.”
Sarvar is in custody at the Calgary Remand Centre.
“I’m not I’m not actually certain why he’s being held there,” Sells said. “But that’s where he’s currently housed.”
