News Releases

Media Bulletin - Manitoba

November 9, 2022

Standing Hearing for Inquest into Death of Gary Klein



A standing hearing will take place to determine who can participate in the upcoming inquest into the death of Gary Klein, 54, of Lockport.

On Dec. 30, 2019, at 1:35 a.m., Selkirk RCMP responded to a call for service to Klein’s home, in which he advised that two unknown people were in his home and were shooting arrows at the residence. Klein further reported that he had been poisoned by needles in the floor.

RCMP members attended and determined the complaints to be false. Officers found Klein intoxicated on cocaine, hysterical, rambling and not making sense.

Klein was arrested under the Mental Health Act without incident and was transported to the Selkirk RCMP detachment. Once in the detachment’s secure bay, police opened the vehicle door to find Klein unresponsive and in medical distress.

Emergency medical services and the shift supervisor were contacted and cardiopulmonary resuscitation was initiated. Attempts to revive Klein were unsuccessful and he was pronounced deceased at 3 a.m.

Under the Fatality Inquiries Act, an inquest has been called by the chief medical examiner for the following reasons:

• because at the time of his death, Klein was in RCMP custody;

• to determine the circumstances relating to Klein’s death; and

• to determine what, if anything, can be done to prevent similar deaths from occurring in the future.

Before the inquest begins, a judge will decide who can participate in the process and question witnesses. Individuals and groups may make an application to be granted standing and participate. Those interested in applying for standing should contact Nancy Fazenda, inquest counsel, at 204-330-3821 or at nancy.fazenda@gov.mb.ca by Nov. 30.

The standing hearing will be held on Dec. 12 at 2 p.m. in courtroom 306 at the Manitoba Law Courts Complex, 408 York Ave., Winnipeg.

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