VANCOUVER – The BC Coroner’s Service says the death of Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski in an altercation with RCMP officers at Vancouver’s airport six years ago was a homicide. Homicide is considered a neutral term in coroner’s reports and does not apportion any blame.
Dziekanski, who did not speak English, became agitated after spending more than nine hours wandering in the airport arrivals area in October of 2007 and was confronted by four Mounties, who stunned him several times with a Taser.
The coroner’s report says Dziekanski died of a heart attack after the Taser jolts, and an autopsy showed no other significant injuries, natural disease, drugs or toxins as factors in his death.
Former judge Thomas Braidwood conducted a public inquiry into Dziekanski’s death and found the Mounties involved used excessive force. The officers are each facing perjury charges related to their testimony at the inquiry.
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