Edmonton police too slow to provide first aid after shooting Mathios Arkangelo, family says
Posted July 16, 2024 2:08 pm.
Last Updated July 16, 2024 6:33 pm.
The family of a 28-year-old man who was fatally shot by an Edmonton police officer two-and-a-half weeks ago is asking why it took so long for him to receive medical attention in the moments after the shooting.
Mathios Arkangelo was shot and killed by an officer on June 29 on a residential street in the Fraser neighbourhood of northeast Edmonton.
Police have been under intense scrutiny after video shows Arkangelo, who authorities say was impaired and holding a knife, was holding his hands in the air when the lone officer fired on him from several feet away.
“I started Googling man shot by police and I saw the video on Instagram and I was like hey that’s my brother,” explained Dini Arakangelo, Mathios’ brother.
Mathios’ mom couldn’t watch the videos that show her son falling on the ground after getting shot, not once but multiple times.
“I want people to see the whole thing and not just a guy gunned down and they make up whatever story they want,” added Dini.
In addition to the circumstances surrounding the shooting itself, Arkangelo’s family is demanding answers about the immediate aftermath.
The lawyer representing the family, Tom Engel, says Arkangelo was on the ground for two minutes before a tactical/canine officer, who arrived at the scene after the shooting, provided first aid.
“The Tactical/Canine officer has a look and immediately goes to his vehicle and comes back with first aid equipment,” Engel wrote in a timeline of events sent to media by email. “He appears to take charge. It is understood that every other officer there had access to such equipment.”
The lawyer believes CPR was not performed on Arkangelo.
Emergency Medical Services arrived at the scene at 9:32 p.m. – eight minutes after the shooting – according to Engel, referencing various timestamped surveillance and doorcam videos that captured the event.
“There appears to be no urgency to leave the scene right away to go to a hospital,” Engel added.
The ambulance leaves 20 minutes after arriving on scene – roughly 28 minutes after the shooting.
“EMS leave with Matt’s body, again with no urgency and the police begin to clear the scene,” the lawyer said.
“You deserve to live…” this is what Mathio’s mom, Anna Odo kept saying while looking at her son’s pictures at a memorial set up in the area where he was shot by police just over two weeks ago.
“My son surrendered. His hands were up and the police start shooting him looking on his face and murdering him… why!”
A challenge to get any information from police, family claims
That apparent lack of urgency is one of many complaints being made by Arkangelo’s loved ones, who allege they were mistreated by Edmonton police from the very beginning.
A police officer allegedly spoke to Arkangelo’s wife Jada on the phone at 9:15 p.m. to say her car was involved in a rollover. Police have claimed Arkangelo was under the influence when the vehicle he was driving rolled over at 150 Avenue and Anthony Henday Drive, before he fled on foot.
“The officer stated he couldn’t let them know how Matt is because ‘he’s not there,’” Engel said.
The officer reportedly told Jada and Arkangelo’s mother Anna to go home and wait for police to arrive. Engel says two officers only arrived at the home at 4 a.m. and informed them Arkangelo got into a car accident before being fatally shot.
Arkangelo’s mother “begged the officer to tell her where her son was killed and they said ‘no,’” Engel claimed. “They wouldn’t tell the family where he was. They gave Anna a scrap piece of paper with a phone number (Victim and Trauma Support) that she could call (and when the family did call them, they couldn’t get a hold of them.
“The officers never spoke to the family after showing up to Anna’s house to tell her the news. It was ASIRT that then got in touch on July 2 because Jada had phoned them.”
WATCH: Mother of Mathios Arkangelo wants answers from Edmonton police after fatal shooting
“Who is this police officer? Has he had previous problems? Has he done something like this before? These are things that need to be answered. But Edmonton police won’t do that.”
The family claims it’s been a challenge to get a hold of Edmonton police.
“The family never received any answers about where he was, where his body was brought to, or why it happened. They never got to see him until he was brought to the funeral home,” Engel said.
“They found out from a video on Instagram where the shooting may have occurred.”
Engel adds the family was only called back by Victim and Trauma Support on July 5 – six days after the shooting – “to tell them to pick up an information package in St Albert.”
Originally from Sudan, Ankangelo’s mom says she didn’t expect to go through this in a country like Canada.
“I’m here in Canada, [I’m a] citizen, I work, I love everybody. If something happens to me who should I call. I have fear now. I see a police car, I run inside.”
