A jury in a coroner’s inquest couldn’t decide how 22-year-old Brydon Whitstone was fatally shot by a Saskatchewan RCMP officer. The inquest began Monday and concluded Friday afternoon after spending the week hearing details about the shooting.
The jury in the inquest, which is not a criminal trial, was asked by the coroner Robert Kennedy to consider if Whitstone died by suicide, homicide or undetermined. The RCMP have released a statement regarding the results of the inquest.
“The Saskatchewan RCMP is grateful to the jury members for their work this week and extends a sincere thank you for their efforts. It is not easy to participate in processes like this and their work plays a critical role in ensuring transparency and accountability in incidents where someone has lost their life.”
Whitstone was shot during a tense interaction with Battleford RCMP officers in October 2017, after colliding with two officer cars and refusing to exit his vehicle. An investigation opened last month and was overseen by coroner Kennedy.
The RCMP says it will examine recommendations made by the coroner’s inquest to prevent deaths like Whitstone’s. Saskatchewan RCMP says they recognize that a young man lost his life, and offer condolence to the family of Brydon Whitstone.