A coroners inquest begins Tuesday, Aug. 18 in Port Alberni into the fatal police shooting of Julian Jones – a proceeding that his First Nation hopes will “advance meaningful change” in how the RCMP responds to calls in Indigenous communities.
The 28-year-old member of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation died Feb. 27, 2021 during a confrontation with police in the Meares Island village of Opitsaht, near Tofino. At approximately 9:30 p.m. that evening two members of the Tofino RCMP were called to a residence in the village, following allegations that a woman was being held against her will. One man in the residence was arrested, while Jones was fatally shot during the confrontation.
Following the incident the Independent Investigations Office of British Columbia, a provincial police oversight agency, launched an examination into the case. After more than a year in November 2022 the IIO ruled out the need for any criminal charges against the officers. The agency stated that Jones had come at the officers with two metal files. One officer used a taser on Jones, causing him to fall to the floor. He got back up with the steel files in hand and advanced towards the officers, reads the IIO report. With no second taser available the officer fired at Jones three times, striking him twice, once through his left upper arm and left chest, and another on the front left side of his chest.
“On the preponderance of the evidence, both officers found themselves in a situation where they reasonably believed they were at risk of grievous bodily harm, at least, from someone advancing upon them with weapons that, while not knives, might reasonably be perceived to be knives, and in any event were certainly capable of doing significant damage if used to strike,” stated the IIO. “They were in a dark, cluttered room, already dealing with one resistant individual, unable reasonably to retreat because of the need to protect [the complainant].”
But this was the second fatal police shooting of a Tla-o-qui-aht member in less than a year, after Chantel Moore died during a late-night wellness check being conducted by the Edmunston Police Force on June 4, 2020 in New Brunswick. That officer was also cleared of any criminal charges from the death.
As the coroners inquest proceeds in Port Alberni, the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council and the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation are calling for “accountability, transparency, and meaningful reforms to policing practices”.
“For many Indigenous families and communities, wellness checks are intended to ensure the safety and well-being of loved ones in moments of vulnerability,” reads a joint statement from the First Nation and tribal council. “When those interactions result in the loss of life, it raises serious concerns that must be examined openly and thoroughly.”
Provincial law requires that a coroners inquest is held if a death occurs while someone is detained by police or in custody. The inquest is a “non-fault-finding public inquiry” to determine the facts related to Jones’ death “to ensure public confidence that the circumstances surrounding the death of an individual will not be overlooked, concealed or ignored,” states the BC Coroners Service.
Over the days of the inquest Coroner Larry Marzinzik and a jury will hear evidence from witnesses under oath. At the conclusion of the proceeding recommendations will be made “to prevent deaths in similar circumstances”, according to the Coroners Service.
The Tla-o-qui-aht and NTC urge the police, governments and oversight bodies to work with Indigenous communities “to implement concrete measures that reduce risk, strengthen trust, and help prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.”
“As the inquest proceeds, we remember and honour Julian Jones, the families who continue to grieve, and all those affected by these losses,” says the joint statement. “We hope this process provides an opportunity to learn, to advance meaningful change, and to help ensure that systems intended to support community well-being are equipped to protect and preserve life.”
The coroners inquest into the death of Julian Jones starts at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 18 at the Port Alberni Law Courts. The proceeding will be broadcast online by the BC Coroners Service.
