Sanjai Prasad identified as man shot and killed by Calgary police

Stacey Halvorsonsaid there's more to her best friend than his rap sheet, somethingshe wants known after 41-year-oldSanjaiPrasad was killed by police on Friday night.

Prasad has been identified by friends as the victim in theshooting that took place in Inglewood. Police have not confirmed his identity and the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team is investigating.

• Calgary police kill man in Inglewood condo parkade, prompting ASIRT to investigate

"He was a totally genuine, big hearted person.He always put his friends before himself and he was just I know what it says about him on his record and stuff, but that's not how he came across to me, you know? He wasn't violent. I've known him for a really long time and I've never seen him angry. He was always happy," said Halvorson.

"Unfortunately, you know, his past is making him look like he's a bad guy, and he wasn't."

Police responded to call at condo

According to anASIRT press release, police were called to the parkade at63InglewoodPark S.E. at approximately 7:57 p.m. on July 15 in response to complaints of "unknown persons entering the parkade in a vehicle."

There had been issues with previous thefts, according to the release.

Officers noticed an SUV circling the parkade, according to ASIRT and attempted to stop it, but the driver refused and struck a parked vehicle.

At that time, the front passenger got out of the car and fled, but was later caught, according to ASIRT, while the SUV continued through the parkade.

ASIRT said"aconfrontation occurred between another set of officers and the remaining occupants of the vehicle. During the confrontation, shots were fired by one officer. The SUV crashed into a parked vehicle and came to rest."

Prasad,the driver, was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other two passengers, a 24-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman were unharmed and arrested.

Prior convictions

CBC News has not confirmed Prasad's priors, but at a press conference on Friday nightCalgary Police Chief Roger Chaffinsaid Prasadwas known to police and hadan extensive criminal record.

Police told media on Fridaythey responded to a call of four people in a secured underground parking lot, blocked theexits and began to search the area when the suspects entered what was later determined to be a stolen vehicle.

Chaffin noted he had limited details to provide pending theASIRT investigation.But he did say the incident "escalated quickly."

Other friend is 'a mess'

Halvorson said she's also friends with thewoman who was in the car that night andthat her friend is "a mess."

Prasad lived with his parents in Taradale, according to Halvorson, and didn't have any children, but did help raise a boy with an ex-girlfriend.

"It's just been the past couple years that they haven't been together and that kind of messed with his head a little bit, you know, not being able to see this little boy," she said.

Earlier call

She's not sure how Prasad ended up in that parkadeon Friday, or whether anyone of the four occupants of the vehicle knew someone in the building.

"Honestly, I don't, because I talked to him earlier that day and he told me he was just going to go do something and he would call me when he was free, and that was at five o'clock," said Halvorson.

"So around nine o'clock, and I didn't know anything yet, and at nine o'clock I was messaging him and calling him and I was just like 'yo, why aren't you answering your phone, where are you, what's going on?' And it wasn't until one in the morning that I found out he was shot and killed."

Calgary police are not commenting on the case as it remains under investigation.

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