A Maple Ridge man has offered to donate money for counselling services for a woman whose brother was shot by Ridge Meadows RCMP in their home.

Carl Wheaton said he has followed the story of the police shooting of Kyaw Din. He wants to pay for six months worth of counselling for his sister, who was there when he was fatally shot.

Kyaw was a Myanmar immigrant who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, and was in need of medical assistance on the day he was killed in August of 2019. Four officers had arrived at the home to assist ambulance attendants who were trying to get him to hospital.

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The Independent Investigations Office, a provincial police watchdog agency, did not recommend charges against the officer who shot and killed the 54-year-old, based on the finding Din had been violent toward police.

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The victimB次元官网网址檚 sister Yin Yin, who dealt with police at the scene on the day of his shooting, has called for charges against the officer.

She has been denied victimB次元官网网址檚 assistance B次元官网网址� no funds for counselling B次元官网网址� by the Crime Victim Assistance Program, because the agency said her brother was not the victim of a criminal offence.

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Wheaton explained that he lost his own foster daughter.

B次元官网网址淚t honestly has just drowned me,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎nd I went to therapy, and it has helped me.B次元官网网址�

So he has empathy for Yin Yin, and the family tragedy she has endured.

B次元官网网址淪he witnessed all of that, and itB次元官网网址檚 her loving brother, and itB次元官网网址檚 terrible,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 in a position to help this lady, and I would really like to do that.B次元官网网址�

He said he will pay for counselling sessions twice a month for six months. He will write a cheque, B次元官网网址渘o strings attached.B次元官网网址�

After two years of counselling, Wheaton has been able to deal with his own feelings of loss, and regrets that he couldnB次元官网网址檛 save his foster daughter, who had her own mental health battles.

A counsellor helped lift the burden with a simple ask: B次元官网网址淒id you do your best?B次元官网网址�

He said he was at first offended by the question.

B次元官网网址淥f course I did my best,B次元官网网址� he answered.

B次元官网网址淗ow could you do better than your best?B次元官网网址� the counsellor pointed out, and it helped free him from feelings of guilt.

WheatonB次元官网网址檚 late foster daughter had some dealings with police when she was in an elevated state, and he believes officers need the best possible training and protocols to deal with these situations, which too often end in tragedy. He said police reviews must be more transparent, and give families answers in a timely manner.

Yin Yin was appreciative of WheatonB次元官网网址檚 offer, and said she has been in a depression that has lasted months.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 deeply thankful, and really appreciate it. I feel there are people who are empathetic after what happened to Kyaw. B次元官网网址淭here was no reason for my brother to have been killed by police.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淪ometimes I feel abandoned, but people like thisB次元官网网址� I really look up to.B次元官网网址�

She awaits a decision by the BC CoronerB次元官网网址檚 Service, about whether to hold an inquiry into the shooting.