A coroner’s inquest begins Monday in Fredericton into the death of 26-year-old Chantel Moore nearly two years ago.
The Indigenous woman was shot and killed by an Edmundston police officer in June 2020 during a wellness check.
Moore was a member of Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation in British Columbia and had recently moved to New Brunswick to be closer to her family.
A jury will hear evidence from witnesses and can make recommendations aimed at preventing similar deaths in the future.
The Coroner Service is an independent fact-finding agency which may not make any finding of legal responsibility.
Last June, Crown prosecutors announced that they ruled out criminal charges against the officer who shot Moore.
The officer told investigators with Quebec’s police watchdog that Moore moved toward him with a knife and refused to drop it.
“Ms. Chantel Moore’s death, although deeply regrettable, was as a result of her being severely impaired by alcohol and combined with her actions, specifically exiting her residence brandishing a knife, steadily advancing upon Officer 1, who was restricted in movement by the confined space of the third-floor balcony and not responding to his clear orders to drop the knife,” read the legal opinion prepared by the Crown.
The inquest is expected to last four to six days and will take place at the Delta Fredericton Hotel in Fredericton.
