The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team has been called in to probe a deadly police shooting.
A man in his fifties was killed after being shot by police early Sunday morning.
Officers were called to the community of Southwood after reports of a weapons complaint.
Police say the situation soon escalated.
"Not sure what to make of it," said witness Bob Penny. "I was just...the police parked in front of my house so that's why I knew something was going on and I went out in my front yard and a bunch of police with pistols out and shotguns went by, so they headed in this direction, so I was just watching what was happening."
Neighbors say the police Tactical Unit was deployed early Sunday morning. CTV News is checking into reports that a Tactical Team member fired the fatal shot.
Pete Kay lives a few doors down from the scene of the shooting and says the neighborhood is usually a quiet one.
"I was just asleep on the couch and then all of a sudden, it was around 1 a.m., that I heard shots being fired and I guess the whole thing kind of unfolded from there."
Police say every time an officer is involved in a shooting an Alberta Serious Incident Response Team is brought in to independently investigate the case. Because of that, officers are limited as to what they can say.
"The male at the residence challenged the police," said Calgary Police Duty Inspector Frank Farkas. "And subsequently one of the weapons from the police officer was discharged, and the male was transported to local hospital, and has since succumbed to his injuries. No police officers were injured in this incident."
Calgary Police Chief Rick Hanson and Calgary Police Association President John Dooks held a rare Sunday afternoon press conference to discuss the incident.
Police Chief Hanson now confirms that it was a member of the Tactical Unit who fired the fatal shot. The officer is a 20-year police veteran.
Police also confirm it was a hostage situation and CTV News has learned the gunman was holding one other man at gunpoint in the house.
Neighbours report hearing loud arguments involving the dead man throughout Saturday night.
The hostage was able to contact 911.
The weapon the gunman used was a sawed off shotgun.
Police say the gunman was ordered to drop the gun but that instead he pointed the gun at police and that's when they fired.
"In this particular situation, our officers were confronted by a weapon that has one use, and one use alone. There is only one use for a sawed off shotgun and that is to kill people," said Police Chief Hanson. "There is no other use for it, and our officers are faced with that situation on a regular basis."
"The use of force response was generated and I want to repeat, was generated by the offender's actions," said Calgary Police Association President John Dooks. "I'm confident that the officer acted appropriately and responsibly in their use of force in this situation. I want to remind everyone that no police officer wants to use lethal force, but in situations where there is a proven threat, officers must rely on their training as they did this morning."
All of the officers involved will be subject to two investigations. One is a criminal one because someone was killed. It will be determined whether or not the officers violated any laws in the shooting.
Their actions will also be scrutinized under the Police Act to make sure that they didn't violate any Police Service rules during the incident.
The Police Association says that can take six to eight months to complete.
This is the second police-related shooting in as many months. In March, 33-year-old Travis Oakes died after a police shooting at a southwest carwash.
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team is also investigating that incident.
