Family of man shot with beanbag gun by Vancouver police calls for inquest, changes to police tactics

The family of a man who diedlast week after Vancouver police used a beanbag shotgun is calling for a public inquest and systemic changes in how the department treats people inthe Downtown Eastside.

Samantha Wilson said ata news conference Thursday that her cousin, Chris Amyotte, an Ojibwa man from Manitoba, died after being shot six times with abeanbag gun, highlighting a need for better police tactics.

"The system needs to change to ensure there are mechanisms in place to de-escalate situations like this,'' Wilson said in a news release issued the same day.

"Shooting someone with a beanbag gun, and the use of lethal force, can't be the first de-escalation technique employed. Beanbag guns need to be declared firearms or a lethal weapon.''

Sgt. Steve Addison of the Vancouver Police Department confirmed last week that a beanbag shotgun had been used.

WATCH | Family seeking answers after death of man in Downtown Eastside:

Family of man who died after being shot with beanbag gun wants answers

2 years ago

Duration 1:06

The family of Chris Amyotte, who died after being shot with a beanbag gun by Vancouver police last week, says they are still waiting on answers from investigators.

"It is used as an alternative to lethal force and can be deployed against a person who is acting violently or displaying assaultive behaviour,'' Addison said in a statement.

Speaking on behalf of the family, Wilson told reporters they are no longer angry and are instead seeking answers about his death, adding that they arecalling for the officers involved to be held accountable.

"I believe that, given the location of this incident in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, that my cousin Christopher was seen as just another vulnerable person in a vulnerable part of the city, and that no one would care about him if something bad happened to him," she said.

"I'd like the Vancouver Police Department to take this as my plea [and] I'd like the IIO to take this as my plea to hold the officers involved accountable.''

Wilson said Thursday the family has many questions about the caseand she has not received an update on the investigation from either police or the province's Independent Investigations Office (IIO), which looks into police-related incidents that have caused serious harm or death.

In a statement, the IIO said it has contacted family directly as it always does in such cases. A spokesperson said the office had spoken to several of Amyotte's relatives, and that other family membersare welcome to reach out at any time.

The family also called for the police department to "urgently"address "its systemic discrimination and bias against Indigenous peoples."

In the statement, Amyotte's brother said his family was "devastated'' by his death.

"Christopher was funny, gentle, and caring person. He was artistic. He loved art, to eat, to go to the reserve, and go bike riding,'' Evan Amyotte said in Thursday's release.

"He loved his family and was a good man. His family looked up to him.''

'You're supposed to protect people'

The Independent Investigations Officesaid last week that it had been called in to investigate the incident, which began with calls to police about a man acting erratically. The IIO said it had begun an investigation to determine what role, if any, police actions or inactions played in the man's death.

Wilson said according to eyewitnesses, including another cousin, Amyotte was distraught after being sprayed with mace in the moments before police arrived on the scene.

"He was asking bystanders for help, to call 911. I know that when help did arrive he was non-compliant with their request to lie on the ground and shots were fired and he lost his life," she said.

Witnesses told CBC that Amyotte had removed his clothes and was dousing himself in milk taken from a convenience store in the 300-block of East Hastings Street, right before he was shot and died on the sidewalk.

"You're supposed to protect people, you're supposed to help people," Wilson said."And instead, six shots were fired and my cousin's life ended that day."

Kim Beaudin, national vice chief of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples,has calledfor an independent review into Amyotte's death.

"I think the federal government needs to step up to the plateand actually set in motion acomplete review of all police brutality across this country when Indigenouspeople lose their lives for no reason and this is oneclear example of that."