Nanaimo RCMP fatally shot a man outside Nanaimo's Departure Bay BC Ferries terminal in May 2018, after he raised a weapon in an apparent attempt to injure himself. A coroner's inquest will look further into what led to the death of a 39-year-old man. (File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

fatal shooting

Coroner’s Inquest scheduled for RCMP-linked death of man at Nanaimo ferry terminal

Aug 22, 2024 | 12:23 PM

NANAIMO — A public inquest scheduled for mid-November will look at what led to the fatal police shooting of a man at the Departure Bay ferry terminal.

Thirty-nine-year-old Jer Wood, also known as Jerry Robert Smallwood, was shot eight times and killed by Nanaimo RCMP officers during an arrest attempt in the exit lanes of the terminal on May 8, 2018.

The inquest, scheduled for Nov. 12 at the Nanaimo Law Courts, will look to determine all relevant facts about his death and make recommendations on how to prevent death in similar circumstances.

Larry Marzinzik, presiding coroner, and a jury will hear evidence presented and the inquest will be live-streamed for the general public. The inquest’s scope does not include assigning blame or responsibility for the incident.

Wood was driving a blue vehicle (left), which was rammed and pinned by police in the arrest attempt, before Wood was killed by officers. (File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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Police were called to the terminal ahead of the 10:10 a.m. arrival of a BC Ferries vessel Wood was believed to be on.

Wood was connected to a violent carjacking in Vernon the day prior, with officers tracking the vehicle to the Horseshoe Bay BC Ferries terminal, and ultimately to Nanaimo.

Police rammed and pinned the vehicle as it was exiting the terminal. Wood then got out and raised what police believed to be a weapon, prompting two officers to shoot him.

Wood suffered a serious head injury, as well as three gunshot wounds to his abdomen, one in his collarbone and another on his left bicep.

A subsequent investigation by the Independent Investigations Office of B.C. cleared Nanaimo RCMP officers of any wrongdoing and said Wood was attempting to fatally injure himself when officers fired.

“It was very reasonable for the Officers present to believe their life was in danger as the gun was raised,” the IIO report, published in October 2018, said.

Wood died at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital around 30 minutes after the incident.

The IIO later found Wood had claimed to have “wasted somebody” prior to the incident and was focused on avoiding jail, even if it meant being killed by police.

Background evidence gathered by investigators showed the suspect was in the midst of significant life challenges, such as an injury preventing him from working, a serious substance abuse issue and was “feeling very desperate about his life.”

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