The parents of Chase De Balinhard finally have some answers in the shooting death of their son.
The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. (IIO) released a report Dec. 4 detailing a months-long investigation into the shooting death of the 15-year-old last Feb. 9 in Clayton Heights.
IIO—B.C.’s police watchdog—found that the two officers who opened fire on the autistic teen were legally justified. The report also noted none of the officers involved in the incident, including those who didn’t fire, were trained in how to deal with people who are “neurodivergent.”
Jessica Berglund, chief civilian director of the IIO, wrote in the report she felt the officers made many attempts over a 20-minute period to resolve the situation “without harm to anyone” but that ultimately Chase’s death was not because of the unjustified use of force by the police.
“I do not consider that there are reasonable grounds to believe that an officer may have committed an offense under any enactment,” she wrote. “The matter will not be referred to Crown counsel for consideration of charges.”
The report also offers the first detailed account of the events that led to Chase’s death on Feb. 9, revealing new details about the moments before he was shot.
Chase, who lived with autism and ADHD, left his home Feb. 9 with a pellet handgun and within minutes Chase called 911. The IIO revealed that 911 dispatch said Chase told them he had a gun and was going to kill himself. Chase also told the dispatcher that he was autistic.
The IIO report details Chase’s interaction with several RCMP officers, a nurse in Car 67 (the mental health unit), and other witnesses.
The IIO account also noted the responding officers believed Chase had a loaded weapon “that looked like a real, functional firearm.” The police who responded said Chase was pointing the gun at his head and waving it around.
Police tried to call out to the teen, the report added, but he didn’t respond. Witnesses said Chase appeared confused. He was also tripping while he moved through the streets.
One officer reported, “during this time, he was waving this—what appeared to be—a large caliber revolver around. Pointing it at times to his head, pointing at times at us, waving in the general direction of anyone in the vicinity.”
The IIO report revealed that at 3:17 p.m. two officers fired at the same time after Chase had turned around with his arm extended, pointing his gun at the cops.
One bullet hit Chase in the chest and one officer missed him. Chase died at the scene.
Berglund wrote that Chase’s behaviour “gave objectively reasonable grounds for the officers to fear grievous bodily harm or death.” The report added that police are trained to use lethal force in these types of scenarios.
The report also noted none the officers who attended the call were trained in any way to deal with people who are autistic.
“The tragic incident which resulted in the death of a cherished and loved son … must be situated in the context of the extensive and wide-ranging discussion around policing and neurodiversity,” Berglund wrote. “Specifically, both before and following this incident, there have been calls by many groups and a recognition by many police agencies in Canada, that their members need to be better trained and recognizing responding to individuals who may be neurodivergent.”
Read the full report on the IIO website.