Family of man fatally shot by RCMP sue officers, claiming excessive force and negligence

Tessa Adamski · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 06, 2025 1:35 PM EDT | Last Updated: 5 minutes ago

The household of an 18-year-old fatally changeable successful confederate Manitoba 2 years ago is suing 2 RCMP officers, alleging an excessive usage of unit and negligence led to the "tragic and wrongful death" of their loved one.

Conor Rae was killed soon aft 1 a.m. connected May 24, 2023, astatine an flat he'd precocious moved into connected Hazel Bay successful Portage la Prairie, Man., according to a suit filed successful Winnipeg's Court of King's Bench connected Tuesday. 

RCMP were dispatched to the flat analyzable for a study of a home disturbance involving a pistillate who was recovered harmless successful a neighbouring home. Two Mounties, some listed arsenic John Doe, arrived successful the vicinity of the flat and "dangerously and recklessly" escalated an brushwood with Rae by utilizing a stun weapon connected him, the assertion said. 

One probe struck him successful the chest.

The constables entered his suite without a warrant and utilized the stun weapon on him again, punched and kicked him earlier helium was changeable aggregate times successful the thorax and thoracic portion with "the intent of inflicting grievous bodily harm," the suit alleges.

Rae grew up successful Portage la Prairie, Man., and moved to Coquitlam, B.C with his parents and siblings astatine 12 years old, according to his obituary posted online. He had finished his Grade 12 studies aboriginal and had moved backmost to the Prairies to gain wealth to money his post-secondary acquisition and sojourn with household and friends.

The suit said Rae was a "vibrant" antheral who had nary anterior engagement with constabulary and would person been terrified during the incident.

The 13-page suit alleges the RCMP officers operated with "disregard for the health, safety, and beingness of Conor" and failed to de-escalate the concern by exhausting the usage of different non-life-threatening ways to prosecute with him. The officers did not usage due grooming oregon had inadequate training, the suit said.

The officers besides failed to decently analyse the study of a home disturbance that brought them successful interaction with Rae, the suit said. 

"The decease of Conor was preventable and had due procedures been utilized by the suspect constables, Conor's decease would not person occurred," the assertion alleges. 

The Manitoba RCMP person a work to enactment with integrity, fairness and impartiality and to not compromise oregon maltreatment their authority, the connection said. RCMP officers person a work to support radical they interact with careless of whether they are a fishy oregon subordinate of the public, and to lone usage "as overmuch unit arsenic is reasonably necessary."

The Mounties actions were callous and high-handed and fell beneath the modular of attraction reasonably expected of a constabulary officer, the suit said. 

The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba announced the RCMP serviceman that fatally changeable Rae would not look transgression charges, according to a study published successful January.

The constabulary watchdog said a pistillate had fled her flat suite aft her fellow and her had been smoking marijuana before he became sick and threatened to termination her. 

The study said Rae was carrying a shard of solid successful his close manus during the altercation with constabulary and that "the usage of lethal unit by the taxable serviceman was authorized and justified by law."

The household is besides suing the national Crown for being vicariously liable for the wrongful oregon negligent acts and omissions of the RCMP's members, according to the claim. 

The household wants compensation to screen the ceremonial expenses and damages for the nonaccomplishment of guidance, attraction and companionship arsenic defined under The Fatal Accidents Act in amounts to beryllium determined successful court.

None of the allegations person been proven successful tribunal and nary connection of defence has been filed.