A public inquest into the police-involved death of a Regina resident will begin next week, more than two years after the incident that took the life of 41-year-old Geoffrey Morris.
Morris was fatally shot by a member of the Regina Police Service during the investigation of a disturbance call on the evening of May 4, 2019.
According to police reports, officers were dispatched to an apartment residence in the 1900 block of Halifax Street, where they allegedly found Morris armed with a knife and holding a woman hostage.
Regina police Chief Evan Bray told media at the time of the incident that attempts were made to de-escalate the situation, but an officer feared that someone could be seriously injured and discharged their firearm.
The officer, a fourteen-year veteran with the service at the time, was put on leave following the incident as the RPS, the Saskatchewan Coroners Service and the Ministry of Justice investigated.
The provincial coroners office has now called for a public inquest, seeking further clarity on what happened at the time of the incident and the circumstances that led to Morris’s death.
As a result of the proceedings, the coroner’s jury may make recommendations to prevent similar deaths in the future.
The inquest will begin on Aug. 9 at 10 a.m., continuing until Aug. 13, with coroner Brent Gough presiding.
