IGLULIK
Nunavut chief coroner Padma Suramala said Oct. 30 a mandatory inquest into the shooting death of Felix Taqqaugaq in Iglulik will go ahead next year.

Suramala first announced April 7 her office would be moving forward with an inquest into the death of Felix Taqqaugaq, who died after being shot by police in Iglulik on March 20, 2012, once external investigators in Ottawa completed their investigation. That process is now complete.

Nunavut News/North reported in April 2012 that Taqqaugaq's sister Louisa Taqqaugaq said her brother has been schizophrenic since 1998 and had tried committing suicide. She added a family member called the RCMP saying Felix had a gun.

"He had no gun at his place," said Louisa at the time.

Meanwhile, the RCMP had said an officer checking on the well-being of an adult male, at a home on the evening of March 20, was met by a man wielding a weapon and uttering threats.

Police said they shot the man, who succumbed to his injuries some time later.

The Ottawa Police Service then began its investigation.

Louisa said that her brother, who was 29 at the time of the shooting, was known by RCMP to be schizophrenic and that "he was shot three times and he had no gun."

"The results of (the) investigation have been provided to the chief coroner," stated Suramala by e-mail. "The RCMP will fully cooperate with the inquest process."

Suramala said preparations for the inquest will start in 2016 and she hopes to schedule the proceedings for the fall of 2016 in Iglulik.