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Inquest into Man's Custodial Death Begins
30 Mar
Summary
- Inquest into Everett Patrick's death in police custody starts Monday.
- Patrick died in 2020 after medical distress in Prince George RCMP custody.
- IIO found grounds for offense; prosecution declined charges.
A coroner's inquest commenced on March 30, 2026, reviewing the circumstances surrounding Everett Patrick's death in police custody nearly six years ago. Patrick, 42, of the Lake Babine Nation, died on April 20, 2020, in a Prince George hospital following his arrest by the Prince George RCMP detachment.
He was hospitalized on April 12, 2020, after experiencing medical distress shortly after being taken into custody. The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of B.C. investigated the incident. The IIO reported that police deployed tear gas and a police dog during Patrick's arrest for a commercial alarm.
After being medically cleared at a hospital, Patrick fell multiple times at the detachment and was found in medical distress. A pathologist determined his death was due to a brain hemorrhage from blunt force injuries. The IIO found reasonable grounds to believe an offense may have been committed by police.
However, in 2023, the B.C. Prosecution Service decided not to charge an RCMP officer due to insufficient evidence. The inquest, scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. on Monday at the Burnaby Coroners' Court, is a non-fault-finding inquiry aimed at establishing facts and making recommendations to prevent similar tragedies.
