Three teenagers who rode in a stolen Jeep with 16-year-old Eishia Hudson during a police chase in April 2020 are set to testify at her inquest. The proceedings, underway since last week, focus on the events leading to the First Nations girl’s fatal shooting by officers responding to a liquor store robbery.
Robbery and Initial Pursuit
The incident began when individuals entered a store, grabbed bottles and cases of alcohol, and threatened a security guard with a stabbing. A store employee reported the theft, describing the suspects as Indigenous youth aged 15 to 18.
Officers spotted the Jeep in a residential area and attempted to stop it. The vehicle made contact with or rammed their cruiser before speeding through a shopping district and onto a major road.
Chase Ends in Crash and Shooting
Police established a blockade at an intersection, where the Jeep veered over a boulevard and collided with a parked truck. Const. Kyle Pradinuk, one of the officers on scene, stated he fired two shots at the vehicle because he feared it posed an imminent threat to fellow officers, believing it could strike them.
Another officer testified that he anticipated being dragged or hit by the Jeep during the confrontation. Cellphone footage from a witness, shown multiple times, depicts the vehicle reversing away from officers.
Broader Context and Public Response
The inquest reviews the appropriateness of the force used and explores potential systemic racism, given the Indigenous identity of the robbery suspects. Eishia Hudson’s death prompted widespread protests and demands for a public inquiry into police-involved fatalities among Indigenous people, following a decision by Manitoba’s police oversight body to clear Pradinuk of criminal charges.
Inquest Objectives
Presiding Judge Margaret Wiebe oversees the inquiry, which does not determine blame but aims to identify preventive measures through potential recommendations to avoid future tragedies.
