Regis Korchinski-Paquet

There are a lot of questions to be answered around the death of Regis Korchinski-Paquet in Toronto on Wednesday.

Her family says the Toronto Police threw her off of the balcony.

The Police say the facts have to come out.

It certainly is a curious case.

We may never know all the ‘facts’ since Toronto Police don’t wear body cameras. It seems like the following is all true, based on accounts from the family and Police:

_ 3 different parties called the Police for assistance, including her Mother

_ Weapons were involved in some way in the calls for assistance

_ Her mother was worried for her safety, asking the Police to perhaps take her to CAMH

_ Up to eight officers arrived (Eight! Chief Saunders has said at least 5) and the family waited outside of their apartment (possibly forced to by Police) while officers dealt with Ms. Korchinski-Paquet

_ Ms. Korchinski-Paquet ended up falling 24 storeys to the ground, and dead

_ The SIU was called in to investigate (usually a sign of officers being involved in a death in some way)

_ family members posted videos immediately saying the Police threw Ms. Korchinski-Paquet from the balcony

_ News media immediately reported it as a suicide, whether on their own or told by Police to – we don’t know

The family lawyer today said they are choosing their words more carefully but are not retracting the statement that the police threw her from the balcony.

A lot of questions here. Not just for the Black Lives Matter awareness but around how our Police in Toronto deal with situations they should be trained to de-escalate (eight officers?) involving mental health issues, domestic violence issues, women of colour, and just people in general.

At the very least, we should be concerned when someone calls the Police to ‘Serve and Protect’ a loved one in some way and that many officers show up and the loved one ends up deceased.

Curious questions that go beyond skin colour.