Coroner's inquest begins into death of man shot by RCMP in Whitehorse in 2022

08-Oct-2025

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A coroner's inquest began on Monday into the death of a man shot by police near the Whitehorse airport three years ago.

Hugh Riffel was killed at the Air North compound in November 2022 after an altercation with police. 

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team previously investigated Riffel's death and released a report in 2024, which concluded that the fatal use of force by police was reasonable.

Coroner Michael Egilson selected six jurors for the inquest. Egilson and the jurors will hear witness testimony over the course of the two-week inquest and determine how Riffel died. 

At the end of the inquest, they will also provide recommendations to the chief coroner for how deaths under similar circumstances can be prevented.