Victoria police officer to get 7-day suspension after death of woman

Kathryn Marlow · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 12, 2025 9:26 PM EDT | Last Updated: 7 hours ago

Victoria constabulary Sgt. Ron Kirkwood volition beryllium suspended for 7 days without pay for utilizing an anti-riot limb called an ARWEN to shoot plastic projectiles astatine Lisa Rauch.

That determination came from retired justice Wally Oppal, who held a nationalist proceeding into the incidental aft it was ordered by the B.C. constabulary ailment commissioner. 

Rauch, 43, died a fewer days aft she was changeable connected Christmas Day 2019. 

It happened successful a supportive lodging analyzable successful downtown Victoria, B.C., wherever Rauch had been visiting a friend. 

Rauch ended up successful her friend's room, alone, successful what witnesses described arsenic a drug-induced psychosis. She had threatened those who entered with a knife, and had started a tiny fire. 

Police and firefighters breached the doorway of the room, and aft h2o was sprayed astatine the fire, Kirkwood changeable 3 rounds of the ARWEN into the smokey country — reasoning helium was aiming astatine her abdomen. 

Instead, helium deed her successful the head.

Though erstwhile investigations cleared Kirkwood of immoderate wrongdoing, Oppal recovered helium had committed maltreatment of authorization by utilizing unnecessary force, and acted recklessly.

Still, helium recovered it was an isolated incident for a constabulary serviceman who is well-respected by his colleagues. 

Oppal called it "serious but not malicious, an mistake successful judgement committed successful the discourse of a dynamic and challenging call."

The retired justice besides pointed retired that Kirkwood had shown remorse, and has been disconnected enactment connected aesculapian leave, dealing with post-traumatic accent disorder. 

Kirkwood besides received enactment from supervisors and colleagues, including Victoria Police Department (VicPD) Chief Const. Del Manak who called him "a person wrong VicPD [who's] had an exemplary way grounds and work record." 

Manak said he's assured Kirkwood volition instrumentality to enactment and proceed to pb and mentor younger officers. 

Kirkwood has received medals successful the past, including for being connected the country of the Saanich slope shooting successful 2022, wherever six of his colleagues were shot. 

Audrey Rauch, Lisa's mother, said she trusted Oppal's determination would service arsenic a deterrent, saying helium had done an "admiral job" successful the hearing. 

She said the 5 and fractional years it took to get to this signifier were difficult, describing them arsenic "a punishment for america arsenic good arsenic Kirkwood and his family."

While she is disappointed Oppal's recommendations didn't see a constabulary prohibition connected ARWENs, she hopes the different recommendations bring change.

3 recommendations 

Oppal made 3 recommendations based connected what helium heard during the hearing: that Victoria constabulary person their on-duty officers deterioration assemblage cameras, that the constabulary advocator to the state to make authorities surrounding notes taken and reports made by officers nether investigation, and that they reappraisal however they pass with some constabulary and victims' families. 

Manak called the body-camera proposition a "no brainer," saying helium has tried to institute them successful the past but couldn't get backing from Victoria and Esquimalt councils, which money VicPD.

He called it bully timing that helium is presently moving connected the fund for 2026, which volition yet beryllium presented to councils. 

He said helium and his enactment squad would work Oppal's study and see the different recommendations. 

The note-taking proposal arises from the information that Kirkwood took nary notes pursuing the incident, making it hard to analyse — helium was advised not to due to the fact that helium would beryllium investigated by the Independent Investigations Office of British Columbia (IIOBC).

Oppal said VicPD has since updated its argumentation truthful that notes are required, but successful a mode that inactive protects officers. He would similar determination to beryllium a akin province-wide policy.

When it comes to communication, Rauch's household reported respective instances of being misinformed — or not informed astatine each — about what had happened and however earnestly injured their girl was.

Kirkwood reported being informed of Rauch's decease by substance message.

Oppal recommended Manak and the constabulary committee reappraisal however connection happened after Rauch's death and make a argumentation starring to "reliable, timely, accurate, and delicate communications" and enactment for the parties progressive erstwhile civilians are earnestly harmed by constabulary and the IIOBC steps in.