Manitoba’s Acting Chief Medical Examiner, Dr. John K. Younes, has called for inquests into the deaths of two men who died at the hands of police in the fall of 2015.
Haki Sefa,44 from Winnipeg, died on September 20, 2015 following an altercation with members of the Winnipeg Police Service.
The incident apparently occurred on Provincial Trunk Highway (PTH) 59, north of PTH 44, on September 20, 2015.
According to reports the man’s family had called police earlier in the night expressing concern about his well-being and that of others.
Members of the WPS Tactical Support Team spotted Sefa’s vehicle within city limits and began following him. The incident ended in what police described as a high-risk takedown on Highway 59 just north of Highway 44 around 10:30 pm. Sefa is alleged to have exited his vehicle with a gun.
The medical examiner’s office was notified and an autopsy was authorized. The cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds. The manner of death was homicide.
Steven Douglas Campbell, 39 from Thompson, died on November 21, 2015 after he allegedly tried to run over an RCMP officer who had pulled him over for possible impaired driving.
It happened around 2 am just outside Thompson during a routine traffic stop after police received reports of an erratic driver. RCMP attempted to pull the vehicle over but a short chase ensued.
The driver eventually pulled over. As the RCMP officer approached the vehicle the driver stepped on the gas, accelerating and striking the officer. According to reports that is when the RCMP officer fired his side arm killing the driver and injuring a passenger.
The medical examiner’s office was notified and an autopsy was authorized. The cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds. The manner of death was homicide.
Under the Fatality Inquiries Act, inquests are mandatory if a person died as a result of an act or omission of a peace officer in the course of duty. If that is the result of findings the chief medical examiner must direct a provincial judge to hold an inquest with respect to the death. That was was case in both these deaths.
Both cases are under investigation by the Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba (IIU).
The Chief Provincial Judge will set the date of the inquests.
-News4 Staff-
