B.C. coroner's inquest to hear details of Surrey standoff that left suspect, hostage dead
The British Columbia government will hold a coroner's inquest next month to determine how a 2019 hostage situation in Surrey ended with both the hostage and the hostage-taker dying in a hail of police bullets.
Nona McEwan, 45, and Randy Crosson, 48, were killed when a 10-hour standoff with police at a home in the Central City area ended after six members of an RCMP emergency response team entered the home and fired their weapons 42 times, according to an April 2020 report from the Independent Investigations Office of B.C.
The deaths on March 29, 2019, were reported to the B.C. Coroners Service, which announced Tuesday that an inquest would begin on April 15 to examine what led to the fatal incident and what changes, if any, can be made to prevent similar situations from occurring.
The 2020 report from the IIO, which relied on video and audio recordings, as well as statements from civilian witnesses, paramedics and more than three dozen police officers, found no grounds for charges against the officers involved.
The police oversight agency's investigation also incorporated bloodstain analysis, ballistic evidence and toxicology reports, as well as a recording of a 911 call – all of which informed a narrative about what happened inside and outside the Surrey home during the altercation.
Standoff begins with 911 call
According to Ronald MacDonald, the IIO's chief civilian director, the first 911 call came was made at 10 p.m. on March 28, 2019, reporting that an armed man was refusing to leave the home of his long-term partner.
The two parties were later identified by friends as McEwan and Crosson.
Neighbours told police at the scene they had heard what sounded like a gunshot and a woman's scream.
The IIO report details how police worked to get a warrant to enter the home while negotiators were unsuccessful in communicating with the people inside.
The emergency response team was called in after midnight, and the situation was deemed a hostage scenario.
Overnight, a bear banger noisemaking device was hurled at officers near the back of the home, while offices out front told the IIO they saw what appeared to be a pistol pointing out a window at a police armoured vehicle.
A police robot was deployed to deliver a cellphone into the home but the calls were never answered, according to the police watchdog's report.
Man used woman as shield
With a warrant to enter the home secured around 6 a.m., a team of six officers entered the home, with the first officer later telling IIO investigators he saw the man holding the woman on top of him as a shield with a knife to her throat and what was believed to be a pistol in his other hand.
Another officer on the team said he saw an opportunity to shoot the man, without hitting the woman, and took it. The officer told the IIO his bullet hit the man in the side, however the wounded man did not drop the knife.
The officer got close enough to "press the muzzle of his gun into (the man's) side, and fired several more times," he told investigators.
His fellow officers opened fire at the same time with the gunshots lasting approximately nine seconds in which both the man and woman were struck.
The man was pronounced dead while the woman was rushed to hospital with a gunshot wound in her arm and one in her abdomen that ultimately proved fatal, according to the IIO report.
Following the shooting, forensic officers found what the IIO report described as a "realistic-looking replica pistol" and a large knife next to where the man was killed.
A bear-banger firing device was also located and was determined to have been modified to function as a weapon, according to the report.
Inquest coroner Margaret Janzen will lead the death investigation at the Burnaby Coroner's Court, where a jury will hear evidence from witnesses under oath to determine the facts of the case.
While the jury will have the opportunity to make recommendations aimed at preventing deaths under similar circumstances, the jury cannot make any findings of legal responsibility.
With files from CTV News's Kendra Mangione
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Most of the city is evacuating': Gridlock on Alberta highway after evacuation order in Fort McMurray
Four Fort McMurray neighbourhoods were ordered to evacuate on Tuesday as a wildfire gets closer to the city.
'Inappropriate' behaviour shuts down Dublin to New York City portal
Less than a week after two public sculptures featuring a livestream between Dublin, Ireland, and New York City debuted, 'inappropriate behaviour' in real-time interactions between people in the two cities has prompted a temporary shutdown.
Maximum payout for LifeLabs class-action drops from $150 estimate to $7.86
Canadian LifeLabs customers who filed an application for a class-action settlement began receiving their payments this week, though at a much lower amount than initially expected.
Sask. police seize 1.5M pieces of evidence, lay 60 more charges in child exploitation case
Saskatchewan RCMP have revealed that a historic sexual assault investigation has led to the discovery of alleged crimes against children dating back to 2005.
About 1,000 wildfires confirmed so far this year: Here's a quick look at the situation in Canada
Nearly 1,000 wildfires have burned across Canada so far this year. Here's an overview of the situation in Canada.
American sought after 'So I raped you' Facebook message detained in France on 2021 warrant
An American accused of sexually assaulting a Pennsylvania college student in 2013 and later sending her a Facebook message that said, 'So I raped you,' has been detained in France after a three-year search.
Full List Are these Canada's best restaurants? Annual top 100 list revealed
The annual list of Canada's top restaurants in the country was just released and here are the places that made the 2024 cut.
Tavares scores in OT, rescues Canada from potential upset in 7-6 win over Austria
Captain John Tavares scored 15 seconds into overtime and saved his teammates some embarrassment as Canada held on for a 6-5 win over Austria on Tuesday at the world hockey championship.
BREAKING Dr. Eileen de Villa, who led Toronto through the COVID-19 pandemic, announces resignation
The doctor who led Toronto through the COVID-19 pandemic as the city’s top public health official is stepping down.