The Coroner’s Office has announced an inquest into the death of a man shot by Peel Regional Police in 2020.
Jamal Francique was shot while being arrested on Jan. 7, 2020, in Mississauga. The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) cleared police officers of wrongdoing in his death a year later.
The 28-year-old Black man was allegedly being investigated for dealing drugs and possessing a gun, the SIU said in its report. It was not confirmed if he had a gun or was dealing drugs, but police decided to arrest him for allegedly breaching bail conditions.
Several plainclothes officers and their unmarked vehicles planned to surround Francique after he got into his car, but one officer was late blocking him.
The SIU says Francique accelerated and struck one car and was approaching another when an officer on foot fired four times. He was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries and died two days later.
Peel police said an illegal firearm allegedly recovered from the scene was loaded.
The inquest will examine the circumstances surrounding his death, and there may be recommendations made aimed at preventing further deaths.
Further details about the inquest will be released at a later date.
Francique’s family later filed a lawsuit, alleging negligence on the part of the force, local paramedics and the province’s police watchdog.
They also filed a complaint with the Officer of the Independent Police Review Director, an independent civilian oversight agency that handles public complaints regarding police conduct.
