No police actions could have prevented fatal shooting of Winnipeg man: inquest judge

Caitlyn Gowriluk · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 12, 2025 5:51 PM EDT | Last Updated: 8 minutes ago

The justice who oversaw an inquest into the decease of a Winnipeg antheral killed by constabulary responding to a home unit telephone successful 2020 has concluded determination was thing constabulary could person done otherwise to forestall what happened that day.

The incidental began arsenic officers responded to a 911 telephone astatine a location connected Winnipeg's Anderson Avenue successful the aboriginal greeting hours of April 9, 2020, aft a pistillate reported she had been assaulted by her boyfriend.

The pistillate said the antheral had a gun, and that determination was a kid successful the home, according to an inquest study by provincial tribunal Judge Antonio Cellitti issued past week.

When officers arrived, they heard idiosyncratic screaming successful the location and forced introduction inside, wherever they saw Jason Collins, 36, "holding what appeared to beryllium a firearm to his ain head" and threatening to termination himself earlier "immediately and violently" closing the doorway to the home, Cellitti's determination said.

As constabulary retreated and worked to acceptable up a perimeter astir the home, Collins's 15-year-old girl exited the backmost doorway and was "safely taken into custody by officers." She told constabulary determination were 2 guns wrong the home, and said she didn't cognize whether they were agelong guns but that "she did spot Mr. Collins with an oversized gun."

But earlier officers could found connection with Collins oregon instrumentality a effect plan, the antheral "abruptly exited the beforehand doorway with a pistol and pointed it astatine constabulary portion walking towards them," the study said.

He did not enactment the weapon down despite "numerous calls by the police" to bash so. As a result, the study said, officers changeable Collins successful the torso and near hand. He was taken to infirmary and declared dead, portion the pistillate who called 911 was taken to infirmary with injuries to her limb and chest.

The weapon Collins was holding was aboriginal determined to beryllium a achromatic integrative BB weapon — photos of which submitted during the inquest "make it wide that the BB weapon does successful information look similar a existent firearm," the study said.

"The officers connected country who saw Mr. Collins holding it believed that it was a existent firearm, a content that I find was reasonable," the justice wrote.

The study said the inquest besides heard from Collins's mother, Kelly Collins, and his big son, Isaiah, who some attended portion of the inquest.

His parent said she misses her lad dearly, and "feels that helium was taken distant acold excessively soon," portion his lad remembers Collins arsenic "a benignant and thoughtful antheral and a begetter that sought to thatch him important beingness lessons." A person of Collins's, Jeff Desjarlais, besides described him arsenic "being bully natured and having a kind, caring heart."

"All 3 made notation of Mr. Collins' smile, a grin that they volition nary uncertainty retrieve fondly," the justice wrote. 

"The decease of Mr. Collins is simply a unspeakable calamity that volition nary uncertainty proceed to person a achy and lasting interaction connected the loved ones that helium near behind."

Tragic result 'unfortunately unavoidable,' justice says

The study said the incidental unfolded quickly, and that the constabulary effect was due and followed use-of-force policy. That effect included calling successful beforehand for a tactical exigency aesculapian enactment unit, which was connected country to instantly springiness Collins aesculapian treatment.

The study besides said the 911 telephone transcript makes it wide Collins knew the telephone had been made, and that constabulary were apt coming to the home. Officers besides loudly identified themselves and were successful afloat azygous erstwhile they arrived, leaving the justice satisfied Collins was alert they were constabulary and "not, for instance, intruders that helium needed to support himself oregon the different occupants of the residence against."

An autopsy determined Collins died from gunshot wounds to the torso, and recovered helium had a fig of drugs — including cocaine, opiate medicine medications, cannabis and flualprazolam —  successful his strategy erstwhile helium died

While the inquest, which was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, was called to find the circumstances related to Collins's decease and whether thing tin beryllium done to forestall akin deaths, the justice made nary recommendations for change.

"Mr. Collins' actions near them with nary enactment different than to usage lethal unit by discharging their firearms. The tragic result that time was unluckily unavoidable fixed the actions of Mr. Collins," the justice wrote.

"I person not identified thing that the officers successful this lawsuit could person done otherwise that would person prevented Mr. Collins' decease oregon changed the result that day."

If you oregon idiosyncratic you cognize is struggling, here's wherever to look for help:

• Canada's Suicide Crisis Helpline: Call oregon substance 988.
• Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868. Text 686868. Live chat counselling connected the website.
• Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention: Find a 24-hour situation centre.
• This usher from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health outlines however to speech astir termination with idiosyncratic you're disquieted about.

If you're disquieted idiosyncratic you cognize whitethorn beryllium astatine hazard of suicide, you should speech to them astir it, says the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention. Here are immoderate informing signs: 

• Suicidal thoughts.
• Substance abuse.
• Purposelessness.
• Anxiety.
• Feeling trapped.
• Hopelessness and helplessness.
• Withdrawal.
• Anger.
• Recklessness.
• Mood changes.