Corporal Andrew Michaud figured he and at least two other police officers would die once they blasted open a bedroom door with a strip charge and rushed inside, knowing a suicidal hostage-taker with a gun was waiting for them on the other side, aiming to kill his girlfriend and them too.
Michaud is a B次元官网网址渂reacher,B次元官网网址� in charge of getting fellow Emergency Response Team police into places with lockpickers, chainsaws and explosives in his arsenal. He testified Friday (April 19) during a coronerB次元官网网址檚 inquest into the deaths of Randy Crosson, 48, and Nona McEwan, 45, both killed by police during the March 29, 2019 hostage-taking in the Whalley house she rented. Crosson used her as a human shield, the inquest heard.
B次元官网网址淚 just pictured us going in and just getting shot and us just falling like dominoes,B次元官网网址� he said, sharing the psychology of the situation.
Coroner Margaret Janzen is presiding over the inquest in Burnaby, at CoronersB次元官网网址� Court. ItB次元官网网址檚 expected to run for two weeks, with a jury of four women and a man hearing testimony.
The ERT officers took their place outside the small bedroom, with the first in line gripping a shield.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 three times in my career where IB次元官网网址檝e gone through the door and expected to be killed, and this was one of them,B次元官网网址� Michaud told the jury. B次元官网网址淭his is the second. The first time I was not in charge, I was one of the people going through, and itB次元官网网址檚 a very weird feeling that as soon as this door opens IB次元官网网址檓 going to get shot, and do I get killed? I donB次元官网网址檛 know.B次元官网网址�
Crosson had already pointed a gun at the armoured vehicle outside and declared: B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a good day to die,B次元官网网址� Michaud recalled. B次元官网网址淗e wants to kill police, gave me a one-hour timeline. He knew in one hour we were going to make that decision. But now, he decides to say B次元官网网址榊ou have five minutes.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know whatB次元官网网址檚 on the other end of the door,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know what weB次元官网网址檙e going to face inside. What I do know is that weB次元官网网址檙e going to go in B次元官网网址� weB次元官网网址檙e going in under his terms B次元官网网址� he knows in five minutes or less weB次元官网网址檙e going to come through that door and weB次元官网网址檙e going to come at him, and he has a hostage in there.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚 said, B次元官网网址榃ell, weB次元官网网址檙e going to take rounds going through this door,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� Michaud said. B次元官网网址淭he time is ticking.B次元官网网址�
The officer with the shield took his position. B次元官网网址淚 said to him, B次元官网网址榊ouB次元官网网址檙e number one.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�
After a lengthy pause, Michaud continued.
B次元官网网址淢e saying that to him, that was my goodbye. YouB次元官网网址檙e going to get shot, youB次元官网网址檙e going to get killed. But youB次元官网网址檙e going to take rounds on that shield, youB次元官网网址檙e going to push in, and weB次元官网网址檙e going to get now five feet close.
B次元官网网址淲hen you go down,B次元官网网址� he said, remembering looking at the second officer, B次元官网网址測ouB次元官网网址檙e number two. YouB次元官网网址檙e also going to die. I donB次元官网网址檛 say it.B次元官网网址�
After the first cop went down, he anticipated, the second would be B次元官网网址渢he fresh guyB次元官网网址� pushing forward.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 expecting that heB次元官网网址檚 ready for war,B次元官网网址� he said of Crosson.
Michaud said in his mind after number two gets killed, there will be number three and number four and number five. B次元官网网址淢aybe even number three is going to take rounds, I donB次元官网网址檛 know. But at least, up to that point, I know weB次元官网网址檒l be able to respond.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淓verybody on that team was aware of exactly what needed to happen.B次元官网网址�
The inquest continues.
