Edmonton City Hall shooting: RCMP provide update after terrorism charges laid against suspect

Good afternoon uh before we begin I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the traditional territories of the indigenous peoples of the treaty 6 region and the matey settlements and matey nation of Alberta regions 2 three and four we respect the histories languages and cultures of First Nations

Mate Inuit and all First Peoples of Canada whose presence continues to enrich our community on behalf of the RCMP I’d like to thank you for joining us today my name is superintendent Glenn sells I’m the officer in charge of the integrated National Security enforcement team which is part of the federal policing program

In Alberta RC RC RCMP Federal National Security is mandated to investigate criminal offenses Andor acts rising from Espionage cyber attacks nuclear security risks foreign influenced activities incidents involving the security of internationally protected persons the unlawful release of National Security related information terrorist financing and terrorism which is the focus of today’s media

Event on January 23rd 2024 the normal business of Edmonton’s municipal government was government was shattered by a violent attack on the Edmonton City Hall which has had had a profound impact on our fellow edmontonians who were in the building that day fortunately the immediate and courageous actions of City

Hall security and responding emergency service Personnel led to a quick resolution of the incident without any serious injuries or further damage to property shortly after their initial response to the incident Edmonton Police Service partnered with inset as as the details of the attack began to materialize and appeared to fall within

The National Security Mandate of the RC MP over the last several weeks inet began a thorough and complex investigation of the events surrounding the attack through a national security lens this included a thorough analysis of the EV evidence collected the execution of additional search warrants further witness interviews and an

Analysis of electronic evidence among other investigative steps as a result of our investigation the RCMP has charged 28-year-old bazani sarvar of Edmonton with multiple terrorism and terrorism related offenses our investigation ultimately determined that the actions of Mr sarvar were believed to be politically motivated and therefore reached the legal threshold required to

Support the terrorism charges which were ultimately late among the items seized at the scene were a SKS Assault style rifle three prohibited rifle magazines approximately 150 rounds of ammunition and four gasoline filled Molotov cocktails this certainly highlights the risk posed to the public and the amount

Of damage that could have been done that day throughout our investigation our investigative team was in regular communication with public prosecution service of Canada or ppsc who ultimately deter ultimately consented to the laying of terrorism and related offenses as Canada’s national law enforcement agency the RCMP has primary responsibility for preventing detecting

Denying and responding to National Security related threats in Canada in partnership with intelligence and other law enforcement agencies as such we’d like to acknowledge the exceptional work done by the Edmonton Police Service and their assistance to the ongoing National Security investigation we also feel that the strong partnership between law

Enforcement and both Federal and provincial Crown prosecutors sends a strong message that VI violent incidents such as this uh will which impact both Public Safety and confidence will be diligently and thoroughly investigated and prosecuted via all legal tool tools at our disposal again as I said I would

Like to commend the unwavering support professionalism of the Edmonton Police Service I who operation was pivotal uh to the successful outcome of this investigation and now I would like to welcome inspector Michelle Greening from the Emon Police Service Investigative Services Branch to the podium to share a few

Words good afternoon as mentioned I’m inspector Michelle Greening with the Edmonton Police Service investigative response branch on behalf of the EPS I would like to extend our sincerest thanks to the rcmp’s integrated National Security enforcement team for their work and collaboration from the very beginning inset was directly engaged

With our team which ensured timely investigative considerations regarding extremism though our investigations were separate they progressed in parallel with continual communication and briefings to ensure we both had the information and evidence required inet’s charges in conjunction with the work already done by the EPS sends a clear message that these actions

Are not acceptable forms of expression in our community and are in fact acts of terrorist this brings an increased degree of accountability for the accused actions but does not make up for the impact to our community or those present at City Hall that day and their families

Fortunately the event did not result in physical injury or death but that does not lessen the shock and fear some are still dealing with this was an attack on a publicly accessible government building a place where everyone should feel safe and secure I would like to acknowledge all those on scene that day

Initially responding to the shooting securing the building and keeping its occupant safe this includes EPS members our RCMP and EMS partners and City Hall staff and securities whose quick actions prevented potential tragedy it is also important to acknowledge the EPS investigative team and support units whose good work immediately whose good

Work began immediately and into the days following the event providing evidence to inset for these terrorism offenses once again thank you to the RCMP for their commitment and partnership throughout this investigation these charges are the product of excellent investigative work and collaboration from all involved thank you Canada GLC rle Serv servc comp

Bont terroris met onid conc Serv service question from new the two videos that were released um did those help with laying these terrorism charges uh so what I can tell you is the oh I’m sorry the uh the vide you’re referring to to form part of our investigation uh I can’t really comment

On on the evidentiary value or of of of that as the investigation unfolded the evidentiary value of other other pieces of our of our file but ultimately uh yeah from our perspective we are aware of it and it did form part of our investigation um yeah I guess my

Followup is um he did appear in court today are you able to provide any updates on that not at this time I haven’t I haven’t been updated he did appear this morning and I haven’t been provided a fome update of what transpired there hi superintendent you mentioned that this was potentially political

Motivated can you speak more to that yeah so what I can tell you is um our investigation showed that his actions including the use of violence uh led us to to believe uh that that the uh this was a polit politically motivated crime and ultimately led to the supporting uh

Terrorism offenses here I can’t get into the specific details of uh you know the evidence of support of that but we do believe it’s a pol politically motivated crime what about the ideology speak more to which start of and the ideology we we we believe in this case is was was

Political you can’t say okay yes uh my second question now that you’ve confirmed the gun uh we had several experts at the time who watch that security video and said that the gun jammed can you confirm that I I can’t comment on on on that piece at this time

Other than the assault rifle or assault style rifle was was seized at the scene I can’t get into the details of of that of that weapon at this time um now I understand suspect’s being H in Calgary why is that he was uh transported to the Calgary remand Center

Uh I’m not I’m not actually certain why he’s being held there but that’s that’s where he’s currently currently h and then do you guys have any any background information on suspect was and any personal information this suspect yeah I I won’t get into those details uh this at this uh media

Event um for for a number of privacy related issues and investiga investigative related issues Journal um so there were videos posted online Manifesto videos titled rise are you able to confirm if it was the in this thep that was those okay again I I won’t be able to speak to ongoing pieces

Of evidence as it relates to our investigation hi CBC um can you I know you don’t want to speak to specifically what the ideology or the politics are but have you looked into any kind of affiliation ority with specific group or other you know ter groups so at this

Point we believe he he acted alone uh but I won’t be able to speak to any more uh in relation to ideology or other motivation and has there been any inquiries or assessment related to mental health again uh this point would be premature for me to have that discussion question back

To I guess you know terrorism charges are you know huge how how often are they laid in uh terrorism charges are are actually laid relatively infrequently um and again um in this case you know the criteria required to actually lay them existed and therefore we did clarify the charges there are the

Two terrorism related ones uh and then we understand that maybe the provincial ones have been dropped and some other ones added can you clarify exactly What charges you yeah so there are two terrorism related offenses that were laid and then the additional pardon me the original six charges that were laid

By Edmonton Police Service have now been stayed and those those charges have now been relayed uh through the through a terrorism lens as well as three additional charges for a total of nine a total of nine n nine other provincial related charges that that have a terrorism Nexus plus the plus the two

Terrorism related offenses so 11 total right 11 yeah sorry uh just on the earli question can you talk about what that threshold to um again um it’s it’s relatively complex uh however uh and at the end ultimately public prosecution Service Canada makes the determination whether or not with a with attorney general

Consent whether or not will’ll lay them in this case all the elements required did exist in this case to lay to lay those those uh those charges just so any last couple of questions sorry um a couple years ago we saw the attack downtown with the uall

Commonwealth we’ve had a lot of viewers asking why uh terrorism charges weren’t laid in that case I know it’s completely separate case but um can you maybe speak to why they’re not laid necessar Yeah it unfortunately be it’ be unfair I don’t I don’t know all the specific details of

That investigation it’ be unfair for me to comment as to why they weren’t in that case but in this case the the grounds existed and terrorism charges were laid it’s fair to say that it it takes a lot to lay these charges a high evid yeah the evidentiary threshold is

Is high to lay terrorism charges yes I’m sorry just one more did you I know that a search warrant was performed on this property can you speak to anything that may have been found there did that yeah at this point I won’t be able to speak

To you know that it speaks to the evidence that we procured during the investigation I won’t won’t be able to speak to to that at this point uh ultimately that’s the role of the crown from this uh from this point moving forward but was anything fa there and

Can’t speak to specifics but was anything found there that also led to the charges aside from what was found on his person yeah again that that constitutes the evidence as that that that uh you know ultimately uh is behind the charges so one more question from anyone else

Yeah general just a question is there any indication that he intended farm that day and get incredibly lucky that day um so I won’t I can’t speak to what he intended to do but I would suggest that we were very lucky that that uh people weren’t uh injured um and that

More damage didn’t occur given given given the weapons that were involved and how it unfolded we were I think we were very lucky

RCMP laid terrorism charges against a man accused of firing a gun and igniting a Molotov cocktail inside Edmonton City Hall in January.

The RCMP integrated national security enforcement team has arrested and charged Bezhani Sarvar, 28, with counselling commission of a terrorism offence and possession of property for terrorist purposes. INSET said those charges are in conjunction with nine others that constitute terrorism offences.

Sarvar is also charged with two counts of possessing a prohibited device, mischief, carrying a concealed weapon and possessing a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence. Edmonton police had earlier announced six charges against Sarvar, including arson, possessing incendiary material and recklessly discharging a firearm.

On Jan. 23, a man police said was heavily armed entered city hall through an underground parkade, fired a gun and lit several small incendiary devices, which caused a small fire outside an elevator. He then surrendered to a city hall security commissionaire, who detained him until police arrived.

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