Police respond to a man armed with a knife in central Nanaimo on June 14, 2016. (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

Coroners' Inquest

Public Coroners’ inquest scheduled into shooting death by police in Nanaimo

Feb 4, 2022 | 11:37 AM

NANAIMO — A delayed BC Coroners Service public inquest into the historical death of a man shot dead by police in central Nanaimo has a new date.

The inquest into the death of Craig Andrew Ford is scheduled to begin on March 14, after originally slated to begin in the summer of 2020. It was was delayed due to the pandemic.

Under the Coroners Act, inquests are mandatory for any deaths which occur while a person was detained by, or in the custody of a peace officer.

A presiding coroner and jury will hear evidence from witnesses under oath to determine the facts of the case. The jury will then have the opportunity to make recommendations with the aim of preventing deaths under similar circumstances in the future.

No findings of legal responsibility are made by the jury, a news release from the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General noted.

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An Independent Investigations Office probe found a Nanaimo RCMP officer acted in self-defence and did not commit a crime when Ford, who was carrying a knife, was shot to death in the Country Club Dr. area behind St. Andrews Presbyterian Church on June 14, 2016.

“This is only going to end if I die or you die,” Ford told the officer, according to the IIO report.

After, another officer arrived and Ford began walking towards him with the knife pointed.

The report said as Ford got to the front of the officer’s car, the officer shot Ford twice.

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