Provincial coroner investigating the death of Perth County man that passed away following police interaction
The death of a Perth county man following an interaction with OPP on April 14, 2018, is at the centre of a coroner’s inquest.
Regional Supervising Coroner Dr. Elizabeth Urbantke announced on Wednesday that the inquest into the death of Richard Racz will begin on September 16.
The inquest will examine the circumstances surrounding his death at the age of 61, and recommend further actions to prevent deaths of a similar nature in the future.
The inquest is expected to last eight days, and the jury will hear from approximately eight witnesses.
A previous investigation by the SIU into a death involving officers interaction with a 61-year-old man in Perth County on the same day, indicated that shortly before 5:00 p.m. that day, the man’s wife and daughter placed a 911 call indicating that he had several firearms, and that they feared for their safety.
The woman and her daughter fled the scene, and officers arrived on the scene within minutes. The man attempted to get officers to shoot him, and negotiators attempted to get the man to surrender his weapons.
Although officers attempted to engage anti-riot equipment to safely apprehend the man, the incident ended when the man took his own life.
The SIU’s investigation concluded in 2019 that the officers were not at fault.
The coroner’s act dictates that an inquest into Racz’ death is mandatory, as he died following an interaction with OPP officers.
In the inquest, which will begin Monday, Dr. John Carlisle will be the presiding officer and Indira Stewart will be inquest counsel.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
America votes: How the election could impact the Canada-U.S. border
While America's southern border remains a hot button issue on the campaign trail, the result of the U.S. election in November could also impact the northern frontier with Canada, which remains the longest undefended border in the world.
Fluoride in drinking water poses enough risk to merit new EPA action, judge says
A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to further regulate fluoride in drinking water because high levels could pose a risk to the intellectual development of children.
Frequent drinking of fizzy beverages and fruit juice are linked to an increase risk of stroke: research
New data raises questions about the drinks people consume and the potential risks associated with them, according to researchers at Galway University in Ireland, in partnership with Hamilton’s McMaster University.
'Oct. 7 changed us': Palestinian Canadians with family in Gaza mark a year of war
Fedaa Nassar says any time she has heard the phone ring in the last year, she becomes overwhelmed with anxiety.
NDP house leader laments 'agents of chaos' in precarious Parliament
NDP House leader Peter Julian says there's more his party wants to do in Parliament before the next election, but if the current dysfunction continues it will become a factor in how they vote on a confidence measure.
Police arrest Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides
Police have arrested a Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides and investigators say that they believe two of the victims may have been 'randomly targeted.'
Trump is returning to the site of Pennsylvania assassination attempt for a rally with Vance and Musk
Former U.S. president Donald Trump plans to return Saturday to the site where a gunman tried to assassinate him in July, setting aside what are now near-constant worries for his physical safety in order to fulfill a promise — 'really an obligation,' he said recently — to the people of Butler, Pa.
Scientists looked at images from space to see how fast Antarctica is turning green. Here's what they found
Parts of icy Antarctica are turning green with plant life at an alarming rate as the region is gripped by extreme heat events, according to new research, sparking concerns about the changing landscape on this vast continent.
Missing B.C. climber died from fall on Mount Baker, medical examiner says
The body of a British Columbia mountain climber has been located and recovered after the 39-year-old man was reported missing during a solo climb on Washington state's Mount Baker earlier this week.