NIPIGON, Ont. - The 2016 shooting death of a Nipigon man by Ontario Provincial Police officers is now the subject of a coroner’s inquest.
The province announced on Monday that the Regional Supervising Coroner for the Northwest Region will be conducting an inquest into the death of 45-year-old Daniel Legarde.
The shooting took place at a Nipigon home on Nov. 26, 2016 at approximately 7:30 p.m. after officers with the Nipigon Detachment of the OPP received a complaint of a man refusing to leave a residence.
When officers arrived, Legarde exited the home and was observed carrying a knife. He was ordered to drop the knife and when he refused officers used a tazer but it had no effect.
Legarde retreated back into the home and when he exited a second time, he approached officers with the knife and was subsequently shot once in the abdomen by one of the officers on the scene.
Legarde was pronounced dead at the Nipigon District Memorial Hospital a short time later.
The Special Investigations Unit launched an investigation following Legarde’s death and found the officer’s actions were justified.
“It is without question that the (officers) were acting in the course of their duty when they attended the (complainant’s) house in response to her 911 call for assistance,” said SIU director Tony Lopraco in his report.
“The only issue necessary for me to consider is whether the shooting by the (officer) was justified. I am satisfied that it was pursuant to sections 34 and 25 of the Criminal Code. Section 34 provides the legal justification for the use of force in defence of self and defence of others.”
The inquest will examine the circumstances surrounding Legarde’s death with a jury possibly making recommendations to prevent further deaths occurring in the future.
An inquest is mandatory under the Coroner’s Act. A date and time for the inquest has not been determined at this time.
