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A coroner’s inquest has been scheduled into the deaths of a woman and man who were shot by police during a Surrey hostage-taking five years ago.
Nona McEwan was being held against her will in her home at 100A Avenue and 133rd Street by Randy Crosson, her partner, on the night of March 28, 2019.
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At one point during a 10-hour standoff that stretched into the next morning, Crosson waved what looked like a pistol out a bedroom window. He also reportedly called 911 and demanded the “pigs” leave or he would start killing people.
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An RCMP tactical team confronted Crosson in the bedroom, who was holding a knife to McEwan’s throat and used her as a human shield against police bullets, when they opened fire.
Both McEwan, 45, and Crosson, 48, were killed, and their deaths were reported to the B.C. Coroners Service that day.
A search turned up several weapons in the bedroom and elsewhere in the home, including knives, two replica pistols, airsoft guns and a homemade Taser. Also in the bedroom was a “bear-banger” device adapted into a firing device with a bullet inside.
Toxicology results on Crosson found methamphetamine, amphetamine, fentanyl, norfentanyl, heroin, ethanol, THC and naloxone in his system.
A probe by the Independent Investigations Office of B.C., which looks into all police-related incidents involving death or severe injury, cleared the officers. The civilian director ruled the deaths an accident during a crisis deliberately created by Crosson.
However, a coroner’s inquest isn’t about finding fault or making legal judgments, but rather to establish the facts and provide recommendations to prevent deaths under similar circumstances. They are mandatory when a death occurs while a person is interacting with or in the custody of police.
The inquest will be heard in front of Margaret Janzen and a jury starting at 9:30 a.m. on April 15 at the Burnaby Coroners Court. A livestream will be available.
With files from Tiffany Crawford
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