Update: B.C. coroner will not hold inquest - Idiots.
The Times Colonist is reporting that "A Victoria police officer committed misconduct when he fired a 'less lethal' weapon into a smoke-filled room, fatally injuring a woman on Christmas Day 2019, a retired judge ruled Friday."
"The actions of Sgt. Ron Kirkwood, who had been cleared of any criminal wrongdoing in the shooting of 43-year-old Lisa Rauch, were the subject of a public hearing held by the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner over 16 days between April and September 2024. Wally Oppal, a retired judge and former B.C. attorney general, presided over the hearing to determine whether Kirkwood committed misconduct under the Police Act."
First of all, Wally Oppal is a d*ck. He was a horrible AG and criminally culpable in shutting down the Missing Woman's inquiry as soon as the Hells Angels and other suspects were mentioned. The guy from Aldergrove that made the T-shirts and billboards about Judges being the Problem had a flat deck with a giant sign on it that said recall Wally Oppal.
Nevertheless, Wally Oppal is not wrong in this decision. Let's piece together what happened because the story changed over time and we all know what that means.
At first the family was told "Rauch had ran at officers with a knife and was shot in the chest. Upon examination by doctors, the family found out later this was untrue; Rauch had in fact been about 15 feet away from police and behind a couch." The discrepancy in that account is criminal.
It was Christmas Day 2019. Lisa was in her home which was support housing. The police kicked open the door and fired a "less lethal" ARWEN - or anti-riot weapon at her in a smoke filled room from 15 feet away.
First off, WTF. Those plastic bullets are designed for riots. They are not designed to be fired from 15 feet away. They used those often in Belfast when I was there in the /80's. The kids would pick them up after a riot and sell them to us as souvenirs. I have one but have seen several. They were even controversial back then because they caused fatalities even when used properly.
They were supposed to be fired into a crowd from long distance and bounce them off the ground so hitting the ground would reduce the velocity. First they were called rubber bullets. Some were. They were hard rubber that actually bounced.
I've seen a rubber bullet that was pointed. Those were literally insane. Travelling at that high a velocity they would definitely penetrate skin which was not the intent. The two I had were plastic and were flat on the face like a slug.
Even those are lethal because they are hard plastic and rock solid. Hitting someone in the head with those are fatal not less lethal. So the first problem is that weapon should not have been fired inside a house. Doing so wasn't misconduct it was criminal negligence. Now let's look at the changing story.
First the family was told she came at the police with a knife and they shot her in the chest. That wasn't misinformation, that was a bold faced lie. They even delayed the autopsy and corner report from the family which exposed their lie.
Now let's look at the changing story before the inquiry. The police said he fired the weapon through a smoke filled room and aimed it at her stomach. That too was a lie.
"Smoke from a fire in the apartment had obscured the officer's vision, according to testimony, Kirkwood shot Rauch in the back of the head thinking he was aiming at her abdomen."
So she was sitting on a couch in her home on Christmas day with her back towards him 15 feet away. He did not see a knife. He did not see her stomach. He lied. Again.
Once again just like in the execution of the 70 year old gunsmith in Toronto the officer "invoked his charter rights and decided not to take notes or make a statement in the immediate aftermath" to the initial inquiry. That is not his Charter right.
"Kirkwood testified he believed the fire presented an imminent risk and the situation was out of control, so police needed to incapacitate Rauch quickly." First of all that was a lie and it doesn't make sense. The firemen testified they put the fire out before he fired the plastic bull at at her. He actually fired three rounds at her in a smoke filled room while she was sitting down on a couch with her back towards her. She was no threat.
When a house is on fire, people evacuate and the firemen go in to extinguish the fire. The firemen were already on scene and had already out out the fire.
Even if the firemen weren't there already, there was no need for the police to enter her home. People are supposed to evacuate during a fire. If someone doesn't evacuate that is their choice. The police don't kick in the door and shoot them dead.
This police officer should not be a police officer any more. He made the wrong career choice. Those anti riot plastic bullets are not to be used indoors. Especially on someone sitting down on a couch in their home on Christmas day with their back towards an officer who just kicked in her door.
I realize police are human and make mistakes but this was a serious fatal error that should never be repeated. Lying about it was perjury. That alone is a criminal offence not to mention the murder itself. I don't support Defunding the police.
I support law and order. I recognize that police often risk their lives to save others. I also recognize that some officers are ego maniacs who lose their sh*t when civilians don't obey their command at the snap of a finger.
These are civilians not soldiers and you are not their commanding officer. You're paid by the civilians to serve and protect them not to order them around like new recruits.
