Killing of Chantel Moore

On June 4, 2020, Chantel Moore, an Indigenous Canadian woman, was shot and killed by Constable Jeremy Son^[1][2] of the Edmundston, New Brunswick police, who were called to perform a wellness check on her.^[3] Moore's death drew national attention and outrage.^[4] However, New Brunswick’s public prosecution service said it found Son's actions to be reasonable in the circumstances and he was not charged with any crime.^[5]

Background

Moore was a member of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation^[6] and had recently moved to New Brunswick to be closer to her six-year-old daughter, who was living with Moore’s mother.^[7] The wellness check was asked for by Moore's boyfriend in Toronto, who was worried Moore was being harassed.^[8]

Incident

Moore opened the door to her residence holding a knife and walked towards the responding officer. When commands by the officer, in French,^[9] to drop the knife were not followed, he fired four times, killing Moore.^[10] The officer was not equipped with a Taser.^[1]

Public response

In response to the incident, attention was raised to the fact that Edmundston police officers do not wear body cameras;^[11][12] this is not unusual for police services in Canada^[13] due to the cost of the devices^[14] and questions over their effectiveness.^[15] Moore's family questioned the decision of the Edmundston officer to not attempt using non-lethal force in the interaction, considering the shooting to have been excessive given the small stature of Moore and the fact that she was only armed with a knife.^[11][16] Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller commented "I don't understand how someone dies during a wellness check."^[12][17]

Investigation

As New Brunswick does not have its own police investigation service, Quebec's Bureau of Independent Investigations investigated the killing. This decision drew calls from Indigenous leaders for an independent public investigation into her death.^[18][19] Investigators concluded the report in December 2020, referring it to New Brunswick's public prosecution service to determine if charges should be laid. After reviewing the report and available evidence, the prosecution service determined that the officer's actions were "reasonable under the circumstances," finding that he was confined to a third-floor balcony and that she posed a "potential lethal threat approaching him quickly."^[5] The Criminal Code of Canada allows police officers to defend themselves and others with lethal force under certain circumstances.^[1] The independent report corroborated initial police allegations that Moore did not follow commands to drop the knife.^[5][1] Witnesses heard the commands.^[1] The officer, a use of force instructor for the department, was not equipped with a Taser.^[1]

A coroner's inquest made 20 recommendations for ways that law enforcement can better respond to police interventions. The Edmundston police department at the time of the incident only had one functioning Taser; their total was later increased to 4 and officers were "trained and equipped with pepper spray and a telescopic baton, as less lethal tools."^[20]

Aftermath

Occurring just over a week after the death of Regis Korchinski-Paquet, an Indigenous-black woman, the shooting of Moore caused scrutiny to be raised over Canadian police's capability to de-escalate situations involving mental health crisis.^[21][22] Indigenous leaders, Moore's grandmother, and Minister Miller linked the killing to systemic racism of Indigenous people by Canadian police.^[23] In the aftermath of the killing, the chiefs of a coalition of Maliseet First Nations called for an independent probe of the New Brunswick justice system to address systemic discrimination against Indigenous people.^[19] Rallies, protests, and healing walks were held across Canada to call for justice for Moore.^[24][25] The killing of Moore, coupled with another fatal police shooting eight days later, led to Premier Blaine Higgs deciding not to proceed with proposed legislation to increase the emergency powers of the police.^[26] The investigation's findings were called a "stinging blow" by British Columbia's First Nations Leadership Council.^[1] Moore's family filed a lawsuit the following year alleging that the city provided inadequate training to law enforcement involved in wellness checks and accusing Son of negligence. The city and Son deny the allegations; the claims brought by Moore's family have not yet been proven in court.^[27]

In 2023, New Brunswick reached an agreement with Nova Scotia to allow that province's Serious Incident Response Team to open an office in New Brunswick to act as a local police watchdog for incidents in the province.^[28]

See also

• Police brutality against Indigenous Canadians

References

1. Magee, Shane (June 7, 2021). "New Brunswick police officer who fatally shot Chantel Moore won't be charged". CBC. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
2. Sweet, Jennifer (May 17, 2022). "'Heavy day' for family of slain Chantel Moore as officer who shot her testifies at inquest". CBC. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
3. Quon, Alexander; Brown, Silas (June 5, 2020). "B.C. First Nation wants immediate action in death of Chantel Moore in Edmundston, N.B." Global News. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
4. Mercer, Greg; Fiddler, Willow; Walsh, Marieke (June 5, 2020). "N.B. police shooting of Indigenous woman sparks outrage across Canada". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
5. Cooke, Alex (June 7, 2021). "No charges against New Brunswick police officer in death of Chantel Moore". Global News. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
6. Shakeri, Sima (June 4, 2020). "New Brunswick Police Kill Indigenous Mom During 'Wellness Check'". Huffington Post Canada. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
7. Brend, Yvette (June 4, 2020). "B.C. woman fatally shot during police wellness check just made fresh start to be with her child, family says". CBC News.
8. Brown, Scott (June 4, 2020). "Port Alberni woman fatally shot by police in New Brunswick". Times Colonist. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
9. Mercer, Greg (July 6, 2021). "Police shot and killed Chantel Moore more than a year ago. What has changed for Indigenous people and the law since then?". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
10. Cooke, Alex (June 7, 2021). "No charges against New Brunswick police officer in death of Chantel Moore". Global News. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
11. "'This was racially motivated,' says grandmother of Tofino woman shot and killed by N.B. police". CTV News Vancouver Island. June 4, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
12. Magee, Shane (June 5, 2020). "Federal ministers express outrage over N.B. shooting death of Chantel Moore". CBC News.
13. Britneff, Beatrice (June 9, 2020). "Police body cameras in Canada: How common are they and do they reduce excessive force?". Global News. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
14. Valiante, Giuseppe (February 10, 2019). "Montreal rules out body cameras for police, saying cost not worth results". CTV News. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
15. "Leading maker of body cams disputes Montreal police cost estimates". CBC News. February 1, 2019. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
16. "N.B. police killing of Chantel Moore 'hard to understand,' says her great-uncle". CBC Radio. June 8, 2020.
17. Rabson, Mia (June 5, 2020). "'It was a wellness check and someone died': N.B. police kill Indigenous woman, minister wants answers". National Post. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
18. Denis, Jen St (June 20, 2020). "Call for independent inquiry repeated at vigil for Chantel Moore in Vancouver". British Columbia. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
19. "First Nations chiefs in N.B. seek review of justice system after shooting death of Chantel Moore". CBC News. June 6, 2020.
20. Brown, Laura (August 19, 2022). "Some N.B. municipal police forces making changes after Chantel Moore inquest recommendations". CTV News Atlantic. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
21. Cecco, Leyland (June 5, 2020). "Canada police under scrutiny after two women die after encounters with officers". the Guardian. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
22. Gangdev, Srushti (June 6, 2020). "Police aren't well-trained for mental health and wellness checks, says Vancouver-based advocate". Global News. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
23. Lamoureux, Mack; Zoledziowski, Anya (June 5, 2020). "Indigenous Leaders Demand Investigation into Police Killing of Chantel Moore". Vice Media. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
24. McKeen, Alex (June 12, 2020). "Chantel Moore's death deserves 'same kind of reaction as George Floyd,' Indigenous leader says". The Star. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
25. Bogart, Nicole; Brown, Laura (June 13, 2020). "Healing walks in memory of Chantel Moore marred by second fatal police shooting in N.B." CTVNews. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
26. Poitras, Jacques (June 15, 2020). "Higgs scraps legislation to increase emergency powers of government and police". CBC New Brunswick.
27. Magee, Shane (February 23, 2023). "Edmundston, police officer say in lawsuit reply Chantel Moore caused her own death". CBC News. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
28. Urquhart, Mia (February 8, 2023). "Independent police watchdog agency to open office in N.B." CBC News. Retrieved March 7, 2023.