Inquest into Mississauga police shooting death of Jamal Francique delayed
A coroner's inquest into the 2020 fatal police shooting of Jamal Francique in Mississauga has been postponed, nearly seven years after his death.
Coroner's inquest into 2020 Mississauga police shooting postponed after six-year wait
A coroner's inquest into the death of Jamal Francique — shot by a Peel Regional Police officer in Mississauga in January 2020 — has been postponed to Friday, November 13, canadianinquirer.net reports. The hearing had originally been scheduled to begin on November 12. No reason for the delay has been provided.
Francique was 28 years old when a plainclothes officer shot him in the head on January 7, 2020, outside his home. He died in hospital two days later, according to Ontario's Office of the Chief Coroner.
Undercover operation turned fatal
According to Ontario's Special Investigations Unit (SIU), plainclothes officers had been monitoring Francique on suspicion of drug trafficking and firearm possession. Investigators had not confirmed those allegations but moved to arrest him for an alleged breach of his bail conditions.
Officers waited outside his home in unmarked vehicles, planning to intercept him once he entered his car. The operation did not unfold as intended.
As officers approached with weapons drawn, Francique attempted to drive away. His vehicle struck an unmarked police car before veering toward a grassy area. One officer stepped clear of the car's path; another fired four shots toward the driver's seat as the vehicle moved toward him. The car continued forward and crashed into a townhouse structure.
Officers held back from the vehicle for more than two hours, believing Francique might be armed. Tactical officers eventually approached and found him seriously injured inside the car. Paramedics transported him to hospital, where he died on January 9. Investigators later recovered a handgun from a bag he had been carrying.
SIU cleared the officer; family disputes findings
The SIU concluded in January 2021 that there were no reasonable grounds to charge the officer who fired the shots. The officer stated he believed his life was in danger as Francique's vehicle drove toward him. SIU director Joseph Martino acknowledged the finding but also raised questions about the officer's decision to position himself near a moving vehicle during the arrest attempt.
The investigation ultimately found insufficient grounds to determine that the use of deadly force was unlawful.
Francique's family disputed those findings and subsequently filed a negligence lawsuit against Peel Regional Police, the SIU, local paramedics and other parties. The family has continued to seek answers about the circumstances of his death.
What the inquest will examine
Under Ontario's Coroners Act, an inquest is mandatory in cases such as Francique's. The proceedings differ from a criminal trial: no guilt is determined and no legal responsibility is assigned. Instead, a jury examines the circumstances of the death and may issue recommendations aimed at preventing similar incidents in the future.
The inquest is expected to last 11 days and hear testimony from approximately nine witnesses. Coroner Bonnie Goldberg will preside, with Roger Shallow serving as inquest counsel. The proceedings will be conducted by video conference and made available for public viewing.
Source: Google News CA — Crime (EN)