Coroner’s inquest underway into Saskatoon police-involved death of Alberta man

It’s been nearly three years since Joshua Megeney died and now his family is hearing what happened during his final moments.

A coroner’s inquest started Monday looking into the 28-year-old’s death.

Megeney died after a seven-hour standoff with Saskatoon police in October 2016.

The Alberta man barricaded himself in part of a home on Avenue Q North after allegedly breaking into it.

Police Sgt. Kyla Hicks, the investigator who was responsible for looking into the incident, was the first witness to take the stand.

She said the room he was in had a gun safe and officers saw him holding a long-barreled gun.

Hicks said three shots were fired by two different officers.

She added the reason for Megeney’s death was a bullet striking him in the head and that the weapon he was holding never fired.

While on the stand, she said shots were fired by police just before 11 a.m. on Oct. 6, 2016.

Police weren’t able to confirm he was dead until 4:30 p.m.

She said Megeney barricaded himself in a room with a dresser blocking the door and officers struggled to communicate with him.

Hicks added officers were unclear whether there was anyone else in the house and couldn’t get access to the room and had to wait for RCMP resources to make sure the area was secure.

Hicks also said his toxicology report indicated methamphetamine and other substances were in his system.

On Tuesday, both officers who fired their weapons are expected to take the stand.

The inquest is scheduled to last between three to five days with 10 witnesses offering evidence.