Inquest into death of man shot by Ontario police postponed nearly seven years after incident

ASM, Philippine Canadian Inquirer
November 13, 2026

Photo courtesy: CBC News

A coroner’s inquest into the death of Jamal Francique, a 28-year-old man who was fatally shot by police during an attempted arrest in Mississauga in 2020, has reportedly been postponed to Friday, November 13.

The hearing was originally scheduled to begin on November 12. No reason for the reported postponement has been provided.

Francique was shot in the head by a Peel Regional Police officer on January 7, 2020, outside his home. He died in hospital on January 9, according to Ontario’s Office of the Chief Coroner.

The inquest will examine the circumstances surrounding his death, including the police operation that led to the shooting.

It is expected to last 11 days and hear testimony from approximately nine witnesses. Bonnie Goldberg will preside over the proceedings, with Roger Shallow serving as inquest counsel.

What happened during the arrest?

According to Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU), plainclothes officers were monitoring Francique over suspected drug trafficking and firearm possession.

Investigators had not confirmed those allegations but decided to arrest him for allegedly violating his bail conditions.

Officers waited outside his home in unmarked vehicles, intending to block his car and arrest him once he entered it.

The operation did not unfold as planned.

Francique attempted to drive away as officers approached with their weapons drawn. His vehicle struck an unmarked police car before heading toward a grassy area.

One officer moved out of the vehicle’s path, while another fired four shots toward the driver’s seat as the car approached him.

Francique’s vehicle continued forward before crashing into a townhouse structure. 

Officers did not immediately approach the vehicle because they believed Francique might be armed.

Tactical officers arrived more than two hours later and found him seriously injured inside the car.

Paramedics provided emergency treatment before transporting him to hospital. Investigators later recovered a handgun from a bag carried by Francique.

Police cleared of criminal charges

The SIU concluded in January 2021 that there were no reasonable grounds to charge the officer who fired the shots.

The officer told investigators he believed his life was in danger when Francique drove toward him.

However, SIU director Joseph Martino also raised questions about the officer’s decision to position himself near a moving vehicle during the attempted arrest.

The investigation ultimately found insufficient grounds to conclude that the officer’s use of deadly force was unlawful.

Francique’s family disputed the findings and later filed a negligence lawsuit against Peel Regional Police, the SIU, local paramedics and other parties.

The family has continued seeking answers about the circumstances of his death.

What will the inquest examine?

Under Ontario’s Coroners Act, an inquest is mandatory in circumstances such as Francique’s death.

Unlike a criminal trial, a coroner’s inquest does not determine guilt or assign legal responsibility.

Instead, a jury examines the circumstances of a death and may recommend measures to prevent similar incidents.

The proceedings will be conducted by video conference and made available for public viewing.