Officer feared knife-wielding Kinngait man might kill partner

This story was updated on Monday, Feb. 12, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. ET.

A police officer who responded to a domestic assault call four years ago in Kinngait said he feared for his partner’s life when they arrived to find a man brandishing a knife at them.

RCMP Const. Simon Coutu-De Goede testified Monday at a coroner’s inquest into the fatal shooting of Attachie Ashoona on Feb. 26, 2020.

Ashoona, 38, was shot by Cpl. Jaimie Methven at the home of Ashoona’s father and died at the scene soon after. The Ottawa Police Service later investigated the incident and cleared the officer of any wrongdoing.

Monday was the first day for the inquest at Kinngait’s community hall. It will explore the circumstances surrounding Ashoona’s death and consider recommendations to prevent deaths under similar circumstances in the future.

Coroner’s counsel Sheldon Toner played for the six-member jury recordings of two calls made to RCMP dispatch shortly before 5 p.m. on the afternoon of Feb. 26, 2020, reporting that a man was assaulting and dragging a woman by her hair.

Coutu-De Goede was one of the officers who responded to the reported domestic disturbance, alongside Methven.

Coutu-De Goede testified that, after arriving at the house, they observed a man at the top of the stairs with blood running from his nose. The man was later confirmed to be Ashoona’s father, Goo Kingwatsiak.

He did not want the officers to enter the residence, Coutu-De Goede said.

“As we were about to make entry, that’s when I heard a male from inside the house shout aggressively,” the officer said.

The male shouted that he was grabbing a knife, and Coutu-De Goede said he could hear what sounded like a person sorting through utensils in a drawer.

“That’s when I drew my service pistol out,” he said.

Coutu-De Goede said he and Methven started to make their way through the corridor leading into the house and encountered Ashoona brandishing a kitchen knife with a black handle.

The officer said Ashoona was pointing the knife toward them as he approached them.

“That’s when I pointed my service pistol at him, because I feared for my safety and my life at that time,” Coutu-De Goede said.

“That’s when I told him to back away and drop the knife, to which Mr. Ashoona didn’t comply with my comments.”

He said that at least two times, he heard Ashoona shout “shoot me” as Ashoona approached Methven with the knife.

“He was saying that very aggressive, loud yelling, determined in a way that it felt like there was no other option for him,” Coutu-De Goede said.

He said he began backing away, out of the entryway to the residence and down the stairs.

At some point, he became separated from Methven who was still inside the residence.

Coutu-De Goede said Ashoona suddenly “pivoted” back inside the residence and he lost sight of him.

“I couldn’t see what was going on, but I feared for the life of my partner,” he said.

Coutu-De Goede heard two gunshots, and went inside to find his partner standing in the corner of the residence with her pistol drawn.

Ashoona was lying on his back on the floor and “still had a cigarette in his mouth and a knife in his right hand,” Coutu-De Goede said.

“He wasn’t saying anything. [He] definitely had difficulty breathing, was gasping for air. I could see that life was starting to leave Mr. Ashoona’s body,” Coutu-De Goede said.

Other officers arrived and performed CPR, but Ashoona died at the scene.

Ashoona’s mother, Inuquq Ashoona, also testified Monday. She said she had seen her son earlier on the day in question and he had been drinking vodka with his girlfriend.

Later that day, someone ran into her house to tell her that her son had been shot by police.

Inuquq Ashoona said her son had never talked about wanting to hurt himself, but that as a teenager he had once said, “one day I’m going to be killed by the cops.”

The inquest is scheduled to continue through the week with testimony from eyewitnesses, RCMP officers and the woman whom Ashoona was reportedly assaulting. It’s expected to conclude Friday with the jury’s recommendations.

With Nunavut chief coroner Khen Sagadraca presiding, Toner is leading the inquest while Donna Keats is counsel for the RCMP.

An inquest is mandatory when a person has died while detained or in custody, but it does not have the power to recommend charges or to decide who is at fault.

Correction: This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Cpl. Jaimie Methven’s name.