Unarmed and ‘begging for assist:’ Household of man shot with bean bag desires solutions

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The person who died after he was shot with a bean bag gun by Vancouver police was unarmed and pleading for assist after a bear mace assault, stated members of the family.

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He was recognized by family members as Chris Amyotte, 42, a Winnipeg resident.

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Samantha Wilson, a cousin, stated Amyotte was in Vancouver to go to his two youngsters and prolonged household. However the go to took a lethal flip simply earlier than 8 a.m. Monday when police responded to an incident within the Downtown Eastside involving a person seen “performing erratically” close to Hastings Avenue and Dunlevy Avenue.

“We haven’t gotten any solutions but, which is why we’ve got so many questions,” stated Wilson. “I wish to perceive the logic behind the split-second resolution to fireplace the six rounds of bean baggage relatively than de-escalate the state of affairs.”

Wilson stated she was in a position to piece the occasions that unfolded Monday primarily based on eyewitness accounts, together with a cousin.

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She was informed that Amyotte received caught up in a bear mace spray that wasn’t meant for him. The assault occurred inside a constructing, and Amyotte got here out into the road frantic, in ache and in search of assist.

“Among the witnesses stated he first tried to douse himself with water. They stated he took his garments off, and you may scent the bear mace within the air,” she recounted. “He was constantly asking for assist, asking somebody to name 911, saying he wanted assist.”

Wilson stated Amyotte went to a comfort retailer and requested for milk, which he poured throughout himself. “I feel there was a buyer there who paid for it, or he simply took it, he poured it throughout himself.

“They stated he was begging for assist, he wished assist. He was in apparent misery.”

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Then, six police cruisers confirmed up on the scene, stated Wilson.

“We all know he was non-compliant after they informed him to get on the bottom. He stated ‘I can’t. I need assistance.’”

Wilson stated witnesses informed household that Amyotte took two bean bag pictures to the chest and 4, consecutively, within the again.

He fell to the bottom and went into cardiac arrest. Paramedics had been unable to revive him. He died outdoors on the sidewalk.

Amyotte was a member of the Rolling River Ojibwa First Nation in Manitoba. He leaves behind seven youngsters and a grandchild. His accomplice Amanda and different family members are on their technique to Vancouver to deliver his physique house, Wilson stated.

Amyotte was outgoing and dedicated to his youngsters and household. “Chris was the jokester of the household, the cousin with no filter who got here to each household dinner and bugged everybody,” she stated.

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Vancouver police have stated little concerning the incident, which is now underneath investigation by the Impartial Investigations Workplace, B.C.’s civilian-led police oversight company.

In an announcement issued Monday, the Vancouver Police Division stated officers responded to a person “performing erratically.”

“Following an interplay with police, the person was taken into custody. He then went into medical misery and misplaced consciousness,” it stated. “Regardless of life-saving makes an attempt, the person died on the scene.”

VPD spokesman Sgt. Steve Addison confirmed police shot the person with a bean bag gun.

On Wednesday, he acknowledged there are lots of unknowns within the case and referred inquiries to the IIO, which has launched an investigation to find out what function, if any, police actions or inactions performed within the man’s dying. “There’s quite a lot of questions and we absolutely count on as their investigation progresses they’ll present extra updates,” he stated.

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An IIO spokeswoman stated the company has no updates at the moment.