An inquiry into the 2017 police-involved shooting death of a man on the highway near Qualicum Beach has found that the incident was a homicide, and a jury has made seven recommendations.
B.C. Coroners Service was informed of the death of Aaron Lee Prince, 35, on Oct. 12, 2017, and held an inquest Nov. 7-10 in Nanaimo, with the intention of determining recommendations to prevent similar deaths.
According to report from the Independent Investigations Office of B.C. in 2020, two RCMP officers responded to a call involving a man in distress who was being driven to the hospital. It was thought the man had injured himself with a knife, which was possibly still in his possession. The incident occurred on the 39000 block of the inland Island Highway.
A confrontation at the side of the highway led to a violent struggle in which both officers were injured and Prince died of his wounds, the report stated.
The IIO recommended the officers not face charges as they 鈥渞easonably feared grievous bodily harm or death.鈥�
Prince鈥檚 autopsy found 鈥渁 concentration of cocaine in [his] blood that was said to be consistent with both lethal and non-lethal outcomes,鈥� noted the IIO report.
Carolyn Maxwell oversaw the inquest, with a jury, and in the verdict, released Friday, Nov. 10, Prince鈥檚 death was classified as a homicide, caused by 鈥渕ultiple gunshot wounds to chest and abdomen.鈥�
The jury recommended that inquests be held in prompt fashion subsequent to deaths, and also recommended that B.C. RCMP and B.C. Emergency Health Services employ improved communication and clearly establish criteria for restraint around people in danger of injuring themselves or others, so that they can be transferred to the 鈥渁ppropriate facility.鈥� As well, the jury suggested the B.C. ministries of health and public safety make available more mental health experts across the province for RCMP calls involving people experiencing mental health issues. B.C. RCMP should advocate that members employ tasers 鈥渁s a non-lethal alternative to other methods or tools for control of a person,鈥� the jury recommended, and members should be trained for crisis intervention and de-escalation techniques on a yearly basis.
The B.C. health ministry and College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C. should recommend all physicians, particularly those in settings such as emergency rooms, receive 鈥渆nhanced training in sensitivity to, and treatment of, the symptoms of various mental illness in patients,鈥� noted the jury.
Another recommendation is for 911 dispatch to ask callers who are in distress or harm鈥檚 way to stop vehicles.
The jury was not responsible for determining legal responsibility or making any legal conclusions, according to the coroners鈥� service.
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