The Canarama Shootout was an armed confrontation on July 5th, 1982, between officers of the Saskatoon Police Service and infamous Saskatoon criminal (as well as one of Canada's most dangerous murderers) Harvey Andres, who had escaped from an Edmonton prison just months before the shootout. The shooting occurred at a house and the Canarama Shopping Centre parking lot in the River Heights area of the city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Two people were shot but no one was killed during the incident.[1]
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On the morning of July 5th Harvey Andres, using a .45 Calibre pistol, kidnapped Clara Scrutton, the wife of a Safeway manager, and took her to her home in River Heights. A neighbour phoned police after noticing a suspicious looking man with Clara entering the house. Corporal Kenneth Sawyer and summer Law student Robert Zacher responded to the suspicious activity. Upon arriving Sawyer sent the student (who was wearing a police uniform) to the back of the house, as he walked up the steps to the front door. With a handgun pointed at the back of her head, Clara was forced to answer the door by Andres. Opening the door a crack she was questioned by Cpl. Sawyer and told him that everything was okay. Sawyer was unaware Andres was standing right behind her. Somewhere in their conversation she used facial expressions to signal that she was in trouble. At that moment Andres caught on to her and jabbed the pistol over her shoulder and fired at Sawyer's face, who dove off the steps without being shot. Sawyer radioed "Shots fired!" to CST. Reginald Smith was back at the station and immediately sent backup. Andres then ran out the back door to be surprised by Zacher who looked like a police officer. Andres fired at him and struck him in the arm. Zacher then ran into a neighbours yard to get out of the line of fire. Andres took off from the location and ran into the neighborhood, heading for the Canarama Shopping Center. Little did he know, he was heading straight into the cross-hairs of Sergent Jim Cox.
By now a number of officers were heading to the area - both on and off duty, plain clothes and uniformed. One of these plain clothes officers, Sergent Jim Cox arrived in his car and pulled into the parking lot of the Canarama strip mall, just outside a drug store. Cox, along with others officers, were setting up a perimeter at Warman Road and Assinaboine Drive when he heard that Andres may be heading in their direction. However there was still not much information as to exactly where Andres was.
At this time Andres entered through the back of the drug store and as he ran out the front door he slid to a stop as he was startled to see officers in the parking lot. After trying to shoot at them and the Sgt, Cox drew his .38 Calibre revolver and shot Andres point blank six times in his chest. One round happened to shoot off Harveys right index finger(his shooting finger). However, even with five bullets in him Andres still wouldn't go down. Sgt. Cox along with other officers had to beat and wrestle him down to detain him. Andres survived the shooting.[2]
Following the shooting the officers pleaded with the Police Commission to obtain more powerful sidearms because the .38Calibre rounds shot at Andres didn't do much damage (for a point blank shot). It was reported that Harvey's light wind jacket had helped slow the bullets. It would not be for another nineteen years until the Saskatoon Police Service would adopt .40Calibre Glock Pistols.
Sgt. Jim Cox would later become a Staff Sergeant. Following his retirement Cox died from cancer. Cpl. Ken Sawyer went on to became a sergeant and recently retired from Law Enforcement. Law student Robert Zacher would recover from his wound. Harvey Andres was sent back to prison on new charges and is currently on a life sentence.