VANCOUVER - Sixteen-year-old Kyle Tait was sitting in the passenger seat of a stolen SUV when he was shot to death by a British Columbia police officer.

Was the officer too quick to use his gun? Or was a fellow officer's life in danger?

A coroner's jury will attempt to find the truth in an inquest starting Monday into the police-shooting death of Tait, of Surrey, B.C., as he sat in the passenger seat of a stolen SUV.

Tait's family claims in a lawsuit that Const. Todd Sweet approached the vehicle "agitated and enraged" after a police chase, "and fired several bullets indiscriminately into the vehicle."

The New Westminster Police version of the shooting is much different.

"The suspect vehicle rammed the police vehicle in the area of the passenger side," says an August 2005 news release sent out two days after the shooting. "The passenger officer was now trapped in the police vehicle."

Police said the officer who was driving the vehicle fired three rounds from his weapon when the driver of the stolen vehicle failed to stop.

One of those bullets hit the driver in the hand while a second bullet killed Tait where he sat.

Sweet, who has been on paid suspension for about a year for an incident unrelated to the shooting, wasn't charged in relation to Tait's death.

"There has been no criminal finding," said Sgt. Ivan Chu of the New Westminster Police department.

Chu said the suspension came after a second allegation that Sweet kicked a suspect in the head while the man was handcuffed on the ground.

Sweet admitted to assault in court last July and was given a suspended sentence.

Chu said founded allegations are dealt with quickly by the department.

"Anybody can make an allegation of a police officer," Chu added. "Const. Sweet happened to be a very out-there type patrol officer, where he's dealing with a certain element of the public."

The coroner's inquest, which will last about eight days, is not meant to find fault.

The inquest is considered a fact-finding investigation and may not make any findings of legal responsibility.

Often a coroner's jury will make recommendations to prevent similar incidents.

When Sweet fired into the stolen 1996 GMC Yukon there were five teenagers inside.

Officers had pulled the vehicle over early that morning, but the 18-year-old driver then sped off when the officer walked to the driver's side door.

The five-minute pursuit wound into the neighbouring city of Burnaby and eventually involved three New Westminster police cruisers and RCMP officers from Burnaby.

The driver, Ian Campbell, was convicted of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, possession of stolen property and operating a vehicle in police pursuit.

He was given a four year, four month prison term, minus 20 months for the time he spent in jail awaiting trial.

A charge of criminal negligence causing Tait's death was stayed by the court.

Tait's mother, Noel, and his stepfather, Kevin Webb, dispute the police version of the events in a wrongful-death lawsuit filed in B.C. Supreme Court.

"At the time of the shooting, the vehicle's engine was not running and the five occupants were unarmed," the lawsuit states.

"None of the occupants of the vehicle, including Kyle Tait, posed any risk of harm to the defendant Sweet or others."

A second damage lawsuit has been filed against Sweet and the City of New Westminster in connection to the assault case Sweet was involved in.

Anthony White, the victim in that case, claims the city knew of the officer's aggressive reputation but failed to take action.

Chu explained that once the inquest is complete, a Police Act investigation will be finished surrounding the shooting to determine what, if any, disciplinary action will be taken against Sweet.

Chu said sanctions could range from a verbal reprimand to termination.