15-07-2025
Calgary police officer charged with two counts of second-degree murder in 2023 shooting
A Calgary police officer has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder in relation to a shooting during a chase on a busy city roadway more than two years ago.
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The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) announced Tuesday that Const. Craig Stothard is charged in relation to the May 29, 2023, incident in which police opened fire on a stolen cube van following a slow speed chase on Memorial Drive.
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Levon Wildman, also known as Levon Fox, was one of two men killed, the other being the driver of the vehicle, Wesley Davidson, 46.
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'I've been trying to stay positive through this whole thing,' said Lena Wildman, adding she suspects race played a factor in her son's death.
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'There was no need to use this excessive force, no need to use a gun . . . Levon was cared for and loved, he was a human being.'
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While she's glad charges have been laid, the mother said she still has to hope Stothard won't receive preferential treatment due to his law enforcement background.
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'He should be tried just like any civilian facing criminal charges, not be given favours,' she said.
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'Now we'll have to prepare ourselves for the trial. It's like opening a wound that was starting to scab over.'
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ASIRT launched an investigation after the shooting and concluded there were reasonable grounds to believe criminal offences had occurred.
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The case was forwarded to the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service (ACPS), which agreed the evidence met standards for prosecution.
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Stothard was formally charged July 14 and appeared in Calgary Court of King's Bench the following day, when he was released on conditions.
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In a statement, CPS acknowledged the charges and said Stothard is on leave from CPS.
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Police would not say if Stothard's leave is paid or unpaid.
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'The charges are extremely serious in nature, and we recognize that incidents like this challenge the trust that communities have in the Calgary Police Service, especially Indigenous communities,' CPS said. 'We are committed to listening, learning and taking every possible step to understand what can be learned from what happened.'
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CPS said it recognizes the 'profound impact' of the incident for all involved, and offered condolences to family members of the victims.
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'We are confident in the integrity of the ASIRT investigation and know that our criminal justice system is well equipped to handle this case with the seriousness and fairness it deserves,' said the statement.
