Deadly police-involved shooting at Starlight Casino subject of coroner’s inquest
Posted February 9, 2016 11:25 am.
Last Updated February 9, 2016 2:11 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
BURNABY (NEWS 1130) – The fatal shooting of a man outside New Westminster’s Starlight Casino is the subject of a coroner’s inquest that’s begun today.
The case dates back more than three years.
In November, 2012, 48-year-old Mehrdad Bayrami died of gunshot wounds at Royal Columbian Hospital. Ten days before, Constable Jordan MacWilliams had shot him after a five-hour standoff with police outside the casino.
The inquest has heard Bayrami had a history of depression. He was also apparently dealing with relationship problems in the lead up to the fatal incident.
Tatiana Piltsina, who broke up with Bayrami in the months before he was shot dead, has told the inquest that Bayrami was sometimes depressed, while at other times was aggressive. She’s also describing harassment after the break-up.
The inquest has also heard from a doctor who prescribed drugs to Bayrami over a two-year period for his depression.
In the years since the deadly shooting, MacWilliams became the first BC cop in decades to be charged with murder related to something that took place on the job. The charges against him were eventually stayed.
A civil case filed against MacWilliams has also been dropped.
The inquest is scheduled to run until the end of the week. MacWilliams is scheduled to testify on Thursday.
The aim of the inquest is to prevent deaths like Bayrami’s from happening again.
