Fatality report findings released

The fatality report on Bernadette Auger, who suffered fatal gunshot wounds at the hands of the Edmonton City Police on Jan. 16, 2010, was released by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General. The inquiry found there was “nothing that the police could have done differently when faced with these events. Accordingly, there are no recommendations to make for the prevention of similar deaths.” Auger, 48, was shot in an alley where she was surrounded by police after having dialled 911. Auger was holding a gun, which she raised at one of the police officers. She was shot twice. Auger’s gun was an Airsoft toy gun, which was painted black and similar in size, style, and external characteristics as a police-issued firearm. Unknown to the police at the time, Auger was under several different prescription medications as well as having a high level of alcohol in her system, all of which had sedative side effects. Auger’s common-law husband George Coward later told the police he expected Auger “was attempting to commit suicide by forcing the police to shoot her.”