At least a dozen people were killed in police actions in Canada in February 2025. This makes February the deadliest month of Canadian police violence since August 2024 when 13 people were killed. In January 2025, at least nine people were killed by police. These deaths include people who were directly killed by police, as in police shootings, and people who died during police deployments or in police custody.

In 2024, at least 100 people were killed in police actions. There were at least 97 police-involved deaths in Canada in 2023, while in 2022, there were at least 117 police-involved deaths.

Nine of the victims in February died in police custody or during arrest, including one intoxication arrest. Three people were shot and killed. Eight of the victims have been described as being in some type of crisis at the time police killed them. Two of the people in crisis were tased before dying (both by Halifax police within the space of a week). One other person in crisis was pepper sprayed. One victim has, at this time, been named publicly: Chase de Balinhard, a 15-year-old neurodiverse youth by Surrey RCMP.

The details below are based on police reports, reports from oversight agencies, and in some cases information from families. As always, because there are no formal, systemic mechanisms for documenting and reporting police killings publicly in Canada, all numbers presented for police-involved deaths represent an undercount. In addition to the known cases, there are instances of police-involved deaths that have no reporting. For example, the Independent Investigations Office of BC (IIO) lists three deaths in February in which investigations were closed with no public report or for which no public information about the investigation is provided — Victoria Police Department on February 3; Vancouver Police Department on February 10; and Prince George RCMP on February 13.

 

 

February 8-9. St-Eustache Police. Pepper Spray. Custody.

A person died in police custody in St-Eustache, Quebec, a suburb northwest of Montreal, after being pepper sprayed, arrested, and detained on February 8. The Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes (BEI) reports that the Service de police de la Ville de Saint-Eustache received a 911 call at around 8:30 AM regarding a driver who went off the road and then allegedly fled the scene. Officers arrived around five minutes later and found the driver, who was in crisis. An officer used pepper spray to subdue the person who was arrested and taken into custody.

The BEI reports that the person lost consciousness in detention. An ambulance arrived at around 9:20 AM and took the person to hospital in serious condition. On February 9, the BEI reported that the person had died.

There is no report that police offered or provided assistance to a person in crisis who had just been in a car crash. No other details are available publicly.

The BEI has assigned four investigators to examine the death.

 

February 9. Abbotsford Police Department. Arrest.

A man died after being arrested by Abbotsford Police Department (APD) officers in Mission, British Columbia, on February 9. The province's IIO reports that the APD claims that at about 2:00 PM, officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle they believed to be stolen at a shopping centre in the 32500 block of London Avenue. Police arrested the man after an alleged “interaction between the man and police.” He was placed in a police vehicle and shortly afterwards went into medical distress. Emergency Health Services were called and took the man to a hospital. He was pronounced dead there.

None of the police claims have been independently confirmed publicly. No other details are available at this time.

 

February 9. Chase de Balinhard. Surrey RCMP. Shooting.

Surrey RCMP shot and killed Chase de Balinhard, who has been identified as a 15-year-old neurodiverse boy, on February 9. Family members report that the young 10th grade student was on the autism spectrum.

RCMP killed him after responding to calls regarding a person with a weapon at an elementary school near 70 Avenue and 185 Street. At some point police fired a weapon, or weapons, killing the person.

The IIO has not released information about the victim, but friends and neighbors of the victim’s family have come forward. Surrey Schools released a statement confirming that a student from the Clayton Heights Secondary School community had died over the weekend.

Jason Jenkins, who identified himself as Chase’s uncle, called out police actions, saying, “This just comes as a total shock, and I’m angry. I want to know why there are so many police officers and (they) use deadly force. But instead they just decided to shoot him. And I don’t, I just can’t wrap my head around it.”

A family spokesperson told media that Chase did not own a real gun and was not suicidal. He did own a pellet gun. Family say that Chase “left their Surrey home Sunday afternoon to walk around the neighbourhood, as he often did, sometimes to leave goodie bags for younger children who live nearby.” RCMP were reportedly called only half-an-hour later. Loved ones say that because Chase was on the spectrum, “he likely did not understand how serious the situation was when officers arrived.”

CTV News reports a security video in which "Chase is seen walking across a snow-covered lawn holding something to his head. Four police follow him with guns drawn, taking cover around a parked police vehicle on the road." One officer says to him, "Put the gun down" and "You don’t want to do this." Two shots are heard in quick succession after Chase had backed away and was obscured from view behind a tree. Police are shown to be several yards away from Chase and had access to vehicles for cover when they opened fire.

A neighbour, John Pederson, who lives across from where the killing occurred, told media that a stray bullet hit the side of his home.

No other details have been released publicly. None of the police claims have been confirmed.

 

February 11. Hamilton Police Service. Custody.

A 31-year-old woman died in Hamilton Police Service custody early in the morning of February 11. Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) reports that on February 10, officers arrested the woman in relation to failure to comply offences. She was taken to the police station and put in a cell. At about 2:30 AM the following day, she was found in medical distress and EMS was called. She was taken to hospital and pronounced dead.

The SIU has assigned three investigators and one forensic investigator to examine the death.

 

February 11-12. Nova Scotia RCMP. Custody.

Nova Scotia’s Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) is investigating a man’s death after spending the night in police custody in Digby, Nova Scotia following an Intoxication arrest on February 11.

RCMP say they responded to a call at a business on Warwick Street at 3 PM and arrested a man outside for public intoxication. The man was taken to the local detachment and detained in a cell overnight.

Police claim the man went into medical distress at 7 AM the next day. Paramedics were called and first aid was performed on the man. He was taken to hospital and pronounced dead.

No other details are available at this time.

 

February 12. York Regional Police. Custody.

A 33-year-old man died in York Regional Police (YRP) custody early in the morning of February 12, in Richmond Hill. The SIU reports that the man turned himself into the York Regional Police station in Richmond Hill on February 11, in relation to a warrant for Breach of Probation. He was taken into custody and put in a cell. At about 1 AM the following morning, he was observed in medical distress. EMS was called and the man was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The SIU has assigned two investigators and one forensic investigator to examine the death.

 

February 17. Quebec City Police. Arrest.

A person died following their arrest by Service de police de la ville de Québec (Quebec City Police) on February 14. The BEI reports that at approximately 7:08 AM, a 911 call was made for a person in crisis. Police arrived at the scene around 7:16 AM and handcuffed the person. At around 7:21 AM, the person lost consciousness. Paramedics arrived and the person was taken to hospital in serious condition. On February 17, the BEI reported that the person had died.

It has not been reported how police confronted or interacted with the person or why they handcuffed someone in crisis. Police are not care. They are not the appropriate response for someone in crisis.  

 

February 19. Calgary Police Service. Shooting.

Calgary police shot and killed a man near the southeast Calgary community of Red Carpet on February 19. It is reported that the Calgary Police Service (CPS) was called to Calgary Village mobile home park at the 6200 block of 17 Avenue SE around 10:30 AM, regarding an alleged domestic incident inside a home involving a “person in crisis.” Police claim that when officers arrived, a man exited the home and ran toward them. One officer fired their taser at the man and another fired their gun. The man was declared dead at the scene. An elderly man in the home was reportedly taken away in an ambulance.

None of the police claims regarding the shooting have been confirmed publicly.

 

February 20. Granby Police. Shooting.

Service de police de Granby shot and killed a person on the afternoon of February 20. The BEI reports that at around 3:10 PM, police received a report of a person in crisis on Simonds Street South, very close to the Granby Police headquarters. At around 3:15 PM, officers reportedly came into contact with the person. Police claim the person had “a bladed weapon.” Police officers opened fire, striking the person. Paramedics arrived and transported the person to hospital where they were pronounced dead.

Eight BEI investigators have been assigned to investigate the killing. Police claims have not been confirmed publicly.

 

February 22. Halifax Regional Police. Tased. Custody.

A 25-year-old man experiencing a mental health crisis died in Halifax Regional Police (HRP) custody after being tased on February 22. It is reported that HRP officers were called to a condo building on Vimy Avenue in Fairview around 7:45 PM.  The SIRT confirms that the man was tased. The victim was taken into custody and when his health worsened paramedics and firefighters provided help. Paramedics determined the man was dead at the Vimy Avenue address.

Again, policing is not care. Police are not the appropriate response for someone in crisis.

 

February 27. Edmonton Police Service. Custody.

A 60-year-old man died in Edmonton Police Service (EPS) custody on the evening of February 27. It is reported that the man suffered a “medical event” during his arrest. Details of this have not been released publicly.

EPS says it was called to an apartment building near 103A Avenue and 95th Street, in the Boyle Street neighbourhood, regarding a report that a man armed with a weapon had threatened another building resident. On arrival officers allegedly found that the man had barricaded himself in his apartment. Police got a search warrant and entered the apartment. They claim that some type of unspecified “confrontation” occurred before they arrested the man.

Initial reports say the man was receiving medical attention at the scene when the health emergency happened. It has not been clarified what he was receiving medical attention for or if this was related to the subsequent medical emergency. Edmonton’s tactical emergency medical services team, a paramedic team that works with the EPS tactical unit, was the one treating the man when he suffered the medical emergency.

The man was taken to hospital, where he was declared dead.

None of the police claims have been independently confirmed publicly.

 

February 28. Halifax Regional Police. Tased. Custody.

A 37-year-old man in crisis died in Halifax Regional Police custody after being tased on February 28. It is reported that police responded to a service call in Bedford, Nova Scotia, regarding a person “experiencing a mental health episode.” Police went to a residence on the 70 block of Farringdon Way at about 10:20 PM. Police claim the man “became aggressive,” and officers deployed a taser. Police subdued the man and handcuff him, then called Emergency Health Services (EHS).

The man’s health showed “signs of deterioration” while he was in custody. EHS and Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency began life-saving attempts on their arrival. The victim was transported to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

This was the second person in crisis in a week who died in HRP custody after being tased. None of the police claims have been confirmed publicly.

Jeff Shantz is a long-time anti-authoritarian organizer, researcher, and writer who lives and works on Kwantlen, Katzie, and Semiahmoo territories (Surrey, British Columbia).

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