A coroner’s inquest has been scheduled to examine the circumstances surrounding the death of Chase de Balinhard.

The inquest will begin Monday, Nov. 9, 2026, and be held at the Burnaby Coroners’ Court (20th floor, 4720 Kingsway, Metrotower II, Metrotown, Burnaby). Proceedings will start at 9:30 a.m.

On Feb. 9, 2025, the BC Coroners Service received a report advising of a death following events involving members of the Surrey Police Service and the RCMP Surrey Provincial Operations Support Unit. Chase de Balinhard was 15 years old at the time of his death.

Under Section 18(2) of the Coroners Act, inquests are mandatory for any deaths that occur while a person was detained by or in the custody of a peace officer.

A coroner’s inquest is a non-fault-finding public inquiry that serves three primary functions:

• to determine the facts related to a death, including the identity of the deceased and how, when, where and by what means the individual came to their death, as well as a classification for the death
• to make recommendations, where appropriate and supported by evidence, to prevent deaths in similar circumstances
• to ensure public confidence that the circumstances surrounding the death of an individual will not be overlooked, concealed or ignored

John Knox will be the presiding coroner. He and a jury will hear evidence from witnesses under oath to determine the facts surrounding this death. The jury will have the opportunity to make recommendations, as outlined above, though a jury must not make any finding of legal responsibility or express any conclusion of law.

The inquest will be livestreamed, allowing the public and media to virtually attend. Reproduction, broadcasting and publishing of inquest proceedings is prohibited, including through social media, whether the inquest is attended in-person or virtually. Supreme Court-accredited media are permitted to record the proceeding solely for the accuracy of their notes; the recording is not to be broadcast in any form. Accredited media members must provide proof to the sheriff and always visibly display their accreditation when they are recording or using electronic devices in court. Recording for any other purpose, or by anyone without appropriate accreditation, is strictly prohibited. 

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