Inquest to probe death of man, 26, shot by police in West End in 2008

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This article was published 09/08/2013 (4803 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

AN inquest has been called into the death of a 26-year-old man who was shot by Winnipeg police five years ago.

Craig Vincent McDougall of Wasagamack First Nation died following a confrontation with city police on Simcoe Street on Aug. 2, 2008.

Police were at the home on a disturbance call. They said McDougall was shot after he refused repeated demands to drop a knife.

Witnesses have said he wasn’t armed, but had a cellphone in his hand. It’s believed McDougall was shot four times by two police officers. He was also Tasered. Police said at the time a knife was seized at the scene.

Winnipeg police said in an email Thursday an officer-involved-shooting investigation was completed some time ago. “Involved parties, including family, were notified by the Province of Manitoba earlier in the year. It has been determined the actions of the police were justified and within the limits of Section 25 (3) of the Criminal Code,” the police statement said.

McDougall’s family had expressed dismay at the delay in getting the matter in front of a judge at a provincial inquest. All police-related deaths are subject to a mandatory inquest.

“This will just continue to go on if there’s no action taken to look at how we can correct these instances from reoccurring not just to First Nations (people), but the general population,” Wasagamack Chief Alex McDougall, Craig McDougall’s cousin, told the Free Press in December 2011.

Justice Minister Andrew Swan expressed sympathy for the family at the lengthy wait for an inquest, but Swan said it was important the incident be thoroughly investigated.

First, the Winnipeg Police Service conducted an investigation, and then the Ontario Provincial Police did its own probe, Swan said. The Ontario prosecutions service was asked to give an independent opinion to Manitoba Justice as to whether charges were warranted.

The conclusion was reached that “this was not a case where any criminal proceedings should take place,” the minister said.

It was only after all of these issues were dealt with that an inquest could be called, Swan said.

“I’m hopeful that the inquest can proceed in a timely way, and I hope that inquest will provide answers to everybody and allow closure for the community,” he said Thursday.

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca