Straight Talk

Community vigil will be held for Tony Du following release of coroner's jury recommendations

The Vietnamese immigrant was shot and killed by Vancouver police in 2014 while he was in the throes of psychosis

by Charlie Smith on February 10th, 2018 at 8:14 AM
    1 of 1 2 of 1

      A five-member jury has called for funding independent lawyers for families of people killed in interactions with the police.

      It was one of 29 recommendations following a B.C. Coroners Service inquest into the police shooting of Phuong Na (Tony) Du.

      According to a Global B.C. News report, the jury also recommended that the Independent Investigations Office of B.C. improve how it provides information to families of people who die at the hands of police.

      The 51-year-old Vancouver resident was shot and killed by Cst. Andrew Peters near the corner of Knight Street and East 41st Avenue on November 22, 2014.

      The immigrant from Vietnam suffered from schizophrenia.

      At the time of his death, he was in the throes of a psychotic episode and was swinging a two-by-four at two police officers.

      Police say he continued behaving aggressively after being shot with a bean-bag gun. 

      However during the inquest, CTV News reported that a bus driver testified he didn't feel threatened when he was trying to help Du before police arrived.

      Family members have described Du as "a kind, caring soul".

      Today from 3 to 5 pm., a vigil will be held to remember Du at the scene of the shooting at Knight Street and East 41st Avenue.

      "Many folks were unable to make it out to the inquest," a Facebook page states, "we hope this can be an opportunity for you to come out to show your support, especially if you have known Tony personally and/or are also affected by police brutality."

      Other recommendations from the jury include de-escalation training for Vancouver police and placing first-aid kits in police vehicles to enable officers to treat people who've been shot or stabbed.

      Du's family was supported by lawyer Frances Mahon and the Pivot Legal Society.

      Shortly before the inquest began, Pivot urged Vancouver police to implement the Memphis Model Crisis Intervention Team program. 

      "This program provides law enforcement-based crisis intervention training for helping those individuals with a mental illness," Pivot states on its website. "Involvement in CIT is voluntary and based in the patrol division of the police department."

      Pivot has also called for the use of shields rather than guns and tasers, whenever possible, when person with mental illness is clearly in distress.

      Another of its recommendations is to send plainclothes officers in unmarked vehicles in response to calls linked to mental-health distress.

       

      Comments