N.B. coroner’s inquest told all efforts failed to save life of Indigenous man – New Brunswick | Globalnews.ca

An emergency room doctor says all efforts failed to save the life of an Indigenous New Brunswick man shot by police last year.

Rodney Levi, who was from the Metepenagiag First Nation, was shot dead by the RCMP on the evening of June 12, 2020 after police responded to a complaint of a disturbance in a home in Sunny Corner, N.B.

Dr. Syed Ahmed told a coroner’s inquest today that paramedics reported no signs of life for 41 minutes, adding that advanced CPR was done for another 30 minutes before Levi was declared dead.

An investigation of the shooting determined the officers on the scene believed Levi was using force against them, and he was shot to protect themselves and civilians who were present.

An autopsy confirmed Levi had amphetamine and methamphetamine in his body at the time of the shooting.

A coroner’s inquest does not assign blame but issues recommendations intended to help prevent a death under similar circumstances in the future.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 30, 2021.