Family traumatized after false allegation leads to tactical team storming north Edmonton home

An Edmonton family says they are traumatized after the Edmonton Police Service tactical team smashed in their door.
At the same time, police stormed the home’s back door and three screaming teenagers were taken outside, where they were told to lay face down on the ground.
Alberta RCMP said officers believed there could be a victim held a gunpoint - but it turned out to be a false allegation.
“I’m just a kid, why are we being arrested?” one of the teens asked tearfully.
“We’re not going to be shot, right?” she asked and was assured by officers that wouldn’t happen. “Ok I’m just really scared,” she replied.
James Potts said his parents and kids are traumatized. He came home to see police storming his property.
“I was like, ‘What’s going on?’ My parents live here, my kids live here. Two officers approached me at gunpoint, with their lights on and told me to get on the ground or they were going to shoot me,” Potts said.
Global's Sarah Komadina explains how it all happened.
For more info, please go to globalnews.ca/news/10074867/e...
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#GlobalNews #edmonton #police

[@nonoman305]

Hes almost as disgusted with the police as he is with McDonalds employees

[@adamthompson9016]

$$$

[@good2grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr736]

Tried to pull a debit card scam at McDonald's and threatened to sue. My bet is he called the tip on himself for a chance to sue the city.

[@michaele.1843]

​@@good2grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr736His passenger was fired as a waitress. After telling the McDonald's employee to "get a career" lmao

[@adamthompson9016]

Now that we’ve seen James Potts’ antics at the McDonald’s drive thru, gotta wonder if he fabricated the entire thing in order to try and sue EPS. What a loser

[@triggeredcat120]

The guy lives with his parents. He doesn’t have hobbies.

[@dslking]

Now this guy is yelling at McDonald's workers

[@rongrant2594]

Makes you wonder if James is responsible for this? It's all about creating a spectacle

[@hardhirbajwa542]

Yooo, this dude is all over tiktok for harassing a McDonald's employee. While his girlfriend is basically doing casual racism in the back. He threatened to sue the employee. Is this something they do?

[@erinmefford8041]

Found out the girlfriend was fired from her waitress job

[@Jon38]

Couldn't have happened to a nicer person...

[@erinmefford8041]

Exactly also his witch of a girlfriend Ashley was fired after that video went viral from her waitress job

[@segmentally]

He made the call himself so he could feel disgusted

[@StressfulGengar]

He should get a career

[@Christy_G_]

This the rude mcdonalds guy

[@91Kingscrib84]

If this guy, James Potts, made a false claim that he was being held for $1500 ransom, then a call came through that there were kidnapped family members being g held - what were police supposed to do? To say that police should have ascertained whether the kidnapping was valid before entering, wastes valuable time if it's true. Think about it as if it was your family. Would you want police to wait to rescue your kids? I doubt it. This James Potts made a FALSE CLAIM that he was being held for $1500 ransom! He's got bigger issues. How do you lie to your family about being held for ransom? 😡👎

[@erinmefford8041]

Because him and his girlfriend are scammers James and his girlfriend went to a McDonald’s was politely asked by the worker to park the car to revive the food look up James potts McDonalds drive thru

[@erinmefford8041]

They both argued with her the video is on you tube

[@alfiewillis4893]

The RCMP didn't say that James made that false claim.

[@triggeredcat120]

@@alfiewillis4893Edmonton has its own police force. Not RCMP.

[@truestonner420]

They should go after the ones who made the call. Trace it back to the real culprit.

[@cleanoutthefridge]

Agreed! And then have them charged with mischief and then sue them.

[@allytrudie864]

@@cleanoutthefridgeand the police also need to be disciplined and explain to the public on how this happened. The police also need punishment for how this was handled. The public deserves an explanation and apology.

[@bengale8106]

@@allytrudie864no, that’s how you handle a hostage situation which is exactly what this was called in as. Global is just rage baiting, whoever made the call is to blame.

[@allytrudie864]

@@bengale8106no. It isn’t. They infringed on human rights and made a mistake they are not allowed to make without being disciplined. The police are to be blamed just as much as the person who spoofed their sons phone. One day, your 15 year old child will have a gun pointed at them and you will see how this mistake is egregious and needs to be investigated and explained to the public thoroughly.

[@kaziglu8344]

There is a chance that it was James and Ashley who made the call/allegation based on the most recent video of them showing their true colors at a McDonalds drive thru.

[@gabrielmota6934]

That guy James Potts got caught trying to scam on a McDonald's.

[@LithaMoonSong]

We'll have to put no swatting signs on our doors along with no soliciting now.

[@speciallevo3170]

Wow they don’t even follow that procedure in the movies.

[@mahyaretminan723]

What if it is a true incident like in Texas where the police didnt intervene and lives were lost

[@flailmail7069]

​@@mahyaretminan723what if they followed protocol and tried to contact the hostage taker first? What if they did recon before they kicked in a door, if a hostage WAS inside its life wouldve been put at risk during their wild and slow non tactical entry. This was a bad f*k up by the police.

[@MicahRdr]

Great now they will get repayment from taxpayers money not the cops pockets

[@rhysioeren3203]

Well, if someone is actually doing his/her job, those cops are going to be fired if they are responsible of this. Some other people at a higher level is also going to be accountable.

[@allytrudie864]

@@rhysioeren3203it’s so cute you actually think the police will admit any wrong doing and that this will actually be looked into deeply. The news won’t even be able to do a follow up story on how this all played out pointing out the mistakes the police made and how they can confirm it won’t happen again. This will just be swept under the rug.

[@allytrudie864]

The cops pockets ARE the tax payers. We the tax payers pay their wages and all their toys. We own them.

[@proximap2151]

Obviously they need more training. This is ridiculous!

[@allytrudie864]

You can’t fix stupid though 🤷🏼‍♀️ these street constables have a high school education because no secondary education institution admitted them. They just so happen to be an all star hockey player so they have the brawn and brains perfect for the RCMP/VPD. But you can’t make them smart.

[@gto49us]

“Just following orders…” This is a policy mistake. The police need to revise the playbook.

[@amidulla9]

What they do in Canada is disgusting. I live in Toronto and ETF did the same thing with my family. It was based on the wrong accusation.

[@kspeed419]

You think THIS is just a Canada thing?

[@allytrudie864]

@@kspeed419we have a lot less human rights than the USA. So it’s worse here because we have no leg to stand on to get justice against our government arms.

[@g157fasdf9]

@@allytrudie864 i think canada is getting as worse as usa

[@Outlaw_By_Choice]

Gestapo tactics.

[@novajtv]

"swatting" pranks automatic 5 years in a federal pound you in the A prison

[@frankvonfrauner]

Meanwhile there are multiple chop shops on the west end that are shipping stolen vehicles and probably moving drugs and they don't get treatment like this. Utter insanity. This is your tax money at work. Keeping everyone safe.

[@allytrudie864]

I saw the west Vancouver police giving a homeless women the third degree for jaywalking against the light in between the park royal buildings. I was jaywalking right beside her but they didn’t even look at me. While I waited for the bus I could see they had her sitting talking to her for over 15 mins while I waited for the bus. She was clearly just being abused because for the way she looked. She didn’t even do anything wrong. If we want to jaywalk and hurt ourselves then that’s when we will learn the lesson. Weird how none of us ever learn this lesson? 😂

[@jvssocialmedia2459]

EPS has to justify their toys/powers/funding. Dealing with known criminals would put the police at risk. Better they just give those real criminals a heads up on how EPS works and response insanely to an unconfirmed crime.

[@jvssocialmedia2459]

* respond

[@lplt]

sue the city

[@riley739]

This is why you live in way out in the bush with a gated driveway 😂

[@markdekay7565]

I think that tank would flatten your gate looks like if they want to get in there getting in

[@manster1973]

Ladies & gentlemen, I present to you, those “red flag laws” you want so much.

[@ryuuguu01]

This has nothing to do with "red flag laws" this was a swatting.

[@TheKris519]

Are you serious, like get your facts straight police before your raid don’t ask questions first just bombard peoples livesI smell a lawsuit, sue the kids parents who sent that text in the first place too

[@livetohuntandfish8700]

wow almost the same thing happened years ago to someone i know ..He lived in a cottage near a large river ..and one day his brother who was staying with him spotted some ducks in the river and decided to go down to it and hunt them ..an old guy living in another cottage.. with a terrible Neighbor reputation phoned the RCMP and told them shots were fired inside the house.. SWAT came kicked in his door and pointed handguns at him as he was watching TV...they took him into custody and made him sit handcuffed in the car until they could get hold of the brother who was still down on the river hunting ducks eventually he answered his cell phone and returned to explain the situation...police laughed at it and released the brothers...scary cause this could have been much worse all because of a false report......

[@northerncowpoke7020]

Wow, that neighbor is such a bonehead!

[@rooky55]

That was years ago. The cops today would have murdered him and found no wrongdoing.

[@livetohuntandfish8700]

@@northerncowpoke7020 lol tell me about it.. while this was all going on.. he was hiding in the woods on a vacant lot peeking from behind a large tree admiring his handywork lol

[@VK-ds2dw]

Contact your lawyer and demand damages. File a lawsuit for each kid and person individually. Make these morons pay.

[@rb806gaming2]

Odds are they did that to themselves to try to sue the police

[@makasee6973]

Based on what this guy is like, and it not being his first rodeo to fabricate a problem and threaten to "sue". He was most likely the one who swatted himself to sue the police department. He tried to threaten to sue McDonald's after trying to pull a scam on them by asking for a refund in cash instead of back on the card they used to pay with. Which was against the store's policy. This is due because if they get a cash refund, they can call up their bank for another refund and the bank would never know that they had already received a refund. I am assuming he thought it was going to be a win all around. Cause if he couldn't pull off the scam, then he would try the legal system and try to find some kind of loophole to extort money. They were trying to scare the cashier into going along with their scam and absolutely did not get the results they wanted. Then it became viral, and the lady who was with him harassing the McDonald's worker got brutally fired from her waitressing job. You'd think someone who also works in the food industry knows how it works regarding refunds and what these workers go through. But nah. She became the person she probably complains about often while she was still a waitress lol. So I don't doubt one bit, this is what he wanted to happen so he can do just that and get a good payout.

[@The67wheelman]

So held at gunpoint eh? Trying to get the victim shot? That’s how you do it alright. Charge!! We’ll figure it out as we go…

[@BuddhaAfterDark]

thank god you got it on camera wow

[@ryuuguu01]

I think it is important that there are consequences for the son who sent the text. Also smashing down the door when they had no idea what the situation was in the house seems to be wrong thing to do. They had a report of a gun to a victim's head yet they clearly had no idea if smashing down the door was likely to get the alleged victim killed.

[@d.r.tweedstweeddale9038]

I think it's important that you learn to listen & comprehend. The report clearly indicated that the report the police received was false, the alleged text did not come from the son! Try getting your facts straight before you beak off.

[@allytrudie864]

Tell us you didn’t watch the video and understand it without telling us you didn’t watch the video and understand it, by making a stupid comment.

[@allytrudie864]

@@timtaylor750and you need to learn how to comprehend verbal English gooder. Watch the video again S L O W L Y and get back to us with your revised comment.

[@ryuuguu01]

@@d.r.tweedstweeddale9038 It does not say the text did not come from the son of the people who called the police. it says the allegations were false. " I think it's important that you learn to listen & comprehend."

[@kirlygirl7863]

Ugh. It's an overseas scam. It's been going around the US for years. I'm surprised the police reacted to it because EVERYBODY has been getting these calls/texts. The criminals comb Facebook etc for personal info, then hack people's phones and the rest is history. First it was calls to grandma and grandpa supposedly from their grandchild saying they need money sent to some bank account... blah blah blah. A lot of grandparents are getting hard of hearing and many don't hear their grandchildren on the phone much so they become nervous and fall for it. Now it's texts sent directly to parents because parents tend to know their own child's voice. Seriously, people shouldn't discuss their personal lives on social media or if they do, fix the security settings so people can't see who you are "friends" with or who you're related to.

[@russguppy8761]

It was a drug bust that went wrong. You just don’t roll out with all that equipment with out supervisors knowing about it. They care as much as the drug dealers.

[@HiveSci]

Was this related to the scams that he tries to pull at McDonalds?

[@jjd4777]

Having never experienced anything such as this I can only imagine what this family felt in the moment and afterwards. I just can't figure out what I would want them to do differently if it was a real situation at my house.

[@danielboychuk2178]

What a disgrace to the public from the government

[@KrishnaGupta-oq4fo]

sad they should ask for compensation

[@thsu1]

I guess .. po po can search for anyone at any place now.

[@jakefin6891]

I saw this episode, it was on the Simpsons. BAD COPS, BAD COPS

[@T_1357_F]

RMCP is out of control. There is no such thing as Excessive Force.

[@allytrudie864]

They are just playing by hockey rules. Or football rules- whatever team the police recruitment took them from in high school.

[@jvssocialmedia2459]

There's a town in Ontario known by cops in other parts of the province as the one where you needed to play hockey to get on the police force. Starting to improve but the quality of policing is still negatively affected: some truly terrible cops and a bad culture remain.

[@daktarioskarvannederhosen2568]

it was the RCMP. 'nuff said.

[@allytrudie864]

The VPD are JUST as inept.

[@daktarioskarvannederhosen2568]

@@allytrudie864 what is 'vpd'?

[@ryuuguu01]

it wasn't the RCMP, it was EPS.

[@daktarioskarvannederhosen2568]

@@ryuuguu01 mrs enns, it clearly states in the video that it was Fort Saskatchewan RCMP.

[@ryuuguu01]

@@daktarioskarvannederhosen2568 Read the description below the title "An Edmonton family says they are traumatized after the Edmonton Police Service tactical team smashed in their door." Or read the article on the website.

[@theTomaMato]

"It's ok buddy at least the cost of the replacement of the door is tax deductible" will be like the canadian government. 😂

[@twayland6186]

He was getting that cash refund one way or another

[@donberger8263]

SUE THEM BIG TIME

[@mfsperring]

No excuse, period.

[@IturaldeRodel]

Wow... I thought this was in the US at first. US craziness spreading...

[@Rakki_Haitatsu]

Get a good lawyer and sue!!

[@Tha66]

ខ្ញុំគាំទ្រ១០០០%។

[@allytrudie864]

I don’t mean to judge a book by its cover but a family that size and apparent demographic- they couldn’t afford the lawyer that could actually get them justice. This is Canada so any justice they could have gotten through a good lawyer would have just been given to the lawyer when the family paid his bill.

[@Tha66]

@@allytrudie864 មែនហើយអ្នកខ្ញុំសង្ឃឹមថាពួកគេនឹងមានសមត្ថភាពអាចរកមេធាវីបានក្នុងការជួយការពារក្ដីរបស់ពួកគេ។

[@The66Leadfoot]

Never thought I'd see this in Canada. What happened to us?

[@judinorrick8425]

I can’t trust the chief with such freakin glee in his eyes.

[@jbrise7560]

Lawsuit! 🤨

[@charlesjlongh]

Not in Canada. Even after an 'independent ' review

[@HyperCarnivore666]

Lawsuit

[@arcadeshift5071]

Does Canadian law allow for lawsuits as much as the states do? This would = lots of $$$ for the people involved if it was in the US.

[@allytrudie864]

We are not a litigious country or people. You’d have to be a billionaire to afford a lawyer to get anything brought before a court to sue an arm of the government.

[@colinchornenki6262]

Yes they're is

[@allytrudie864]

@@colinchornenki6262they will get the cost of their door repair. They won’t get any real therapy paid for. Just the rinky dink victim services phone “therapy” with some kid that took a course in human behaviour in college. Do you think victim services will speak to you daily or even weekly through your trauma? Nope! You will get to talk to them once a quarter- because they care.

[@TYRONE_SHOELACES]

The problem is, here in Canada, even if you win your lawsuit against the Government, it has taken so long, some up to 10 years, that nobody wants to take your case except Huge law firms and by the time it's all said and done, the big law firm has put in so many billable hours that you get about 20 per cent of your settlement. I am Canadian so I have researched this hard, more so for my own Province of Nova Scotia. The only time that the money is settled quickly is if there has been permanent physical damage to the victim, can't walk, blind, broken arms, can't work AND the news channels do the leg work, putting it on TV every time there's an update in the case and that is about the only way you sort of win. Once the Government sees that you are suing, they just keep postponing the court dates on court day, so you lawyer shows up has taken hours to prepare and then it's postponed, and YOU have to pay the lawyer fees. If you take the cops to court and you lose, YOU have to pay the court cost of the Government lawyers and that can be countless thousands because the pad the books to get more money out of you now that you lost.

[@fredstone5872]

Our Government in power only pays terrorists.

[@jvssocialmedia2459]

No, the police dod not HAVE to go into a house like this, despite their assertion. Other ways to handle the (falsely reported) reported crime. I do not want the police to have this right.

[@alicewright4322]

anyone can just make up anything, get police to endanger anyone - cops are too slow to double check, and no one is fired or arrested? they need a powerful deterrent against people making false calls and police too incompetent to discern.

[@anamegoeshere]

sue the police for the damage to the home

[@Krishnapatelzz]

Kids thinking how the soldiers came out of the game

[@allytrudie864]

If the Gestapo TRIED to get in touch with the people in the house before they showed up then they wouldn’t have gotten to play with that cool BigTykes toy though. These are police we are talking about…..to understand them you have to think like them. It’s hard as an adult.

[@Makrelacz]

Since they obviously had no idea who was in the house and where, I really struggle to see how this breach would help the supposed victim with gun to his head.

[@kathleenkendalljacksgrandm6902]

What?

[@northernpike56]

Back the blue until it happens to you!

[@Wretchlikemee]

This family is also left with a hefty lawsuit against the police

[@trish2366]

his bar 101 bar and grill was deliberately set on fire...anyone see a pattern?

[@NoNopeAndNo]

Yes, I'm also disgusted with the police

[@Tha66]

សកម្មភាពបែបនេះកើតឡើងគឺគិញសម្ងាត់ត្រូវបានក្រុមច្រណែនឈ្នានីសដើរបៀតបៀនកេរ្តិ៍ឈ្មោះនាក់ដទៃលាងខួរក្បាលពួកគេបាន។ ខ្ញុំធ្លាប់ឆ្លងកាត់រួចហើយតែនៅមិនទាន់ដល់ថ្នាក់ពូលីសយកកាំភ្លើងមកភ្ជង់នៅឡើយទេខ្ញុំសង្ឃឹមថារឿងរបៀបនេះនឹងកើតលើខ្ញុំម្ដងទៀតខ្ញុំពិតជាងាយស្រួលប្ដឹងសាលាក្រុងឱ្យសងជំងឺចិត្ត។ 😂

[@irkhanbasc]

It's a tasteless adolescent prank calling SWATing. I thought we were done with this.

[@flailmail7069]

Think its about time the "warrants" actually had due diligence done before their executed.

[@makeluck3659]

Justice

[@ashfaq5775]

So sad

[@gjfy1002]

They could've phone the home. Simple as that.

[@shinykazzadragon]

That is absolutely disgusting! The cops screwed up BADLY!

[@corazonesoterico]

Disgusting

[@robinbrown9516]

Lawyer up

[@cbcarlse]

Couldn't have happened to a nicer Karen.

[@dashcan8479]

Sue for $300 million

[@ecaps5391]

People can always trust and know about the position/career. Different individual applying but the same position and for the same purpose. No lawsuit, no charges, and no court? If these people turn it into joke, corrupt, and waste, crime is no-brainer. Anyone can think about doing a crime.

[@Lineman052]

and once again, there is no recourse for the citizens. Life in a dictatorship.

[@madapple.]

these police have no sense, if this had been a real kidnapping situation, the kidnapped person could've been killed with the way the police handled this ...

[@DeHirvilammi]

Another lawsuit

[@colinchornenki6262]

Lawsuit to the fullest and to those kids get your parents to sue as well. Now also did the kid actually send that text msg. Hope they find out who called that false claim in and justice is served to them.

[@TYRONE_SHOELACES]

Not so easy in Canada....they tear the family apart if you try to sue them. You will be visited by Child Protective Services, they will find a bug in the house and say the house is infested, they will find mold in the attic and condemn the house ... don't ever think you will win with Canadian cops, Canadian Government, we don't have the protection like Americans do, we have rights, but by the time our rights "save" us, we are financially broke, have lost our jobs, our homes, our cars, our children just to prove that the cops should not have broken our door? ... not worth it ...Remember that in Canada since 2018, you can be stopped for DUI, blow ZERO and STILL be charged with DUI because the Officer detects " something is wrong" with you, he just does not know what it is .. look it up. You can be arrested, your car towed, impounded for many days...even if they test you at the station and you blow zero's, and they let you go ... ON YOUR POLICE RECORD will show you were arrested for DUI, not charged, but arrested, now you CANNOT get into the US because you were Arrested for a Felony.

[@yuhriandraikou2024]

This is why Special, Weapons And Tactics. (S.W.A.T.) Making a false accusation.

[@mamabearcanada]

The police has to be avle to break in if they have to save someone's life. But i kinda got upset when i daw twi young girls scared laying on the ground. Question would be will this family get fully reimbursed for broken door and damage like that.

[@endermenkilla]

sadly i don't think so, saw this happen a few months back in Ontario and they were not reimbursed

[@justdoingitjim7095]

A REAL news outlet wouldn't just focus on the outrage and anger, they'd also find out if the police were going to pay for repairs and if the family has plans to sue. But, this "drama barrage" is what passes for news these days!

[@paulapaulapaul9644]

A REAL news station would make you pay for that info, or at least send you to it's website for it, and not pander to whiney freeloading youtubers.

[@g157fasdf9]

they will tell u to claim house insurance

[@Paco619]

thats police for you. waste of tax payers money. You are Your first responder.

[@JeromeDoyle]

Please train the police better.

[@dunfrost3796]

The same McDonalds guy!

[@marieabineau]

lawsuit incoming im thinking...

[@stickynorth]

Hello lawsuit!

[@hondazxr2303]

Canada prison on open 🤮

[@nanishep]

Just following orders.

[@rpdoner]

The police should be charged!!

[@mislalmaashow3533]

Shame on you Edmonton police! You watched as women and children elderly were attacked by terrorist at the Eritrean festival and you called our event because you can’t protect us 👎🏾👎🏾👎🏾👎🏾👎🏾👎🏾👎🏾 Shame shame on you police AB

[@David-hc2qz]

This family should sue for mental stress and be compensated. Then perhaps the Police would do propper research before acting out such an aggressive move. Shameful!

[@anthonymichaels257]

Smoking Kills

[@danielsailors6644]

RCMP is a real joke, bunch of clowns

[@naokisato2160]

Talk ❤fast ❤all ways❤

[@mushycat7502]

He can share this with his self reported 50 000 Instagram followers ( he has 50:)

[@dunweyweydum]

Global 'journalists'... "Grandma....Grandpa..." 🙄

[@theflowpowa42oshow]

I had the bad boys theme song playing in my head the whole time

[@DrToetag]

Sue the RCMP everyone will sue for emotional damage....millions of dollars from Stupid cops..

[@NurseMoneyGrowWealth]

Jesus - lawsuit

[@jo.p82]

How scary omg!!! I feel a lawsuit should be coming soon

[@dral9657]

Edmonton police are some of the worst in the country ! I am not even surprised a little by this and we should be !!! Lived in Calgary for many years and Edmonton for the last 15. We had 2 break-in’s to our vehicles in a nice area. The suspects were on video , we called the police and they never showed. Called them back and they asked if we could drop off the video…I guess we were interrupting their Timmie’s break !

[@brandonr8269]

I'd say at minimum, the teens post secondary education is full ride on the Edmonton Police now, books, parking, residence and meals. What a shitshow. Who was in charge of the operation? Fired. I don't blame the cops executing as ordered. But somebody made the call to roll in like that and for that, their head needs to roll (figuratively speaking). Hire people with a brain in their head.

[@jeremy.a324]

W EPS 🔥

[@yerxa420ca]

police state