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Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 13 March, 2017 - A man shot by police Monday morning after he was seen waving a rifle at bystanders near a busy intersection began his day with two ominous posts on Facebook, including a video filmed in a small bathroom where he showed off his weapon and a bullet (shown in the the second part of this video).
Though police have not released a name, friends on social media and the man's father have identified him as Glenn Justin Ironchild, who uses the nickname Occo.
Further clues to the man's identity can be found in the video itself, posted Monday morning. In it, Ironchild is seen wearing a white ballcap with the letters O.G. — for "original gangster" — printed on the front. A white hat with the same letters was seen on the street shortly after the shooting.
At 10:47 a.m. Monday, Ironchild posted on Facebook: As of this morning I quit my job … I quit giving a shit. I have guns I been earning. I'm locked n loaded .... I have no reason to go all out 'n start killing people like i usually do. my ILLUMINATI has taken effect … to prove my LOYALTY ima kill myself and come back. LORD OCCO … HAIL SATAN.
Eleven minutes later, Ironchild posted a two-and-a-half-minute rambling video, during which he showed off his rifle. At 11:20 a.m., he posted one more message that read: My phones gonna die but ima show something g you haven't seen before … Prepare.
At about 11:30 a.m., people near 137th Avenue and 50th Street called police to report they had seen a man carrying a rifle.
At least one witness saw the man load the rifle, acting deputy chief Darren Derko said at a news conference Monday afternoon.
Officers quickly rushed to the scene.
When the man saw police, "he turned and fired on them," Derko said.
A 10-year veteran officer fired three shots and hit the man.
Police did not say how many shots struck the man.
The wounded man was taken to hospital in critical condition.
He was still alive late Monday afternoon, police said.
Edmonton Transit confirmed that a bus windshield was hit by a stray bullet. No one on board was injured.
No information was released about whether that bullet was fired by police or the armed man.
Glenn Ironchild Sr. said he saw his son's postings on Facebook on Monday morning and tried to reach him with text messages, but got no response.
He said his son has three daughters.
His son did not finish high school, he said, but was a normal teenager who played hockey and golf. He had recently worked for a roofing company.
Glenn Ironchild Jr. was wanted on an outstanding warrant at the time of shooting for failing to appear in court to answer to a pair of alleged breaches of bail conditions. He had been ordered to remain inside an approved residence overnight and stay away from alcohol.
In May 2010, Ironchild was convicted of assault with a weapon, assault causing bodily harm and possession of a dangerous weapon, a sword. He was sentenced to seven months in jail and two years of probation.
In July 2012, he was convicted of impaired driving and sentenced to one month in jail and given a one-year driving prohibition.