5 years after fatal police shooting during armed standoff at cabin, coroner's inquest begins

A coroner's inquest into the death of a man fatally shot by RCMP in a remote area of eastern British Columbia began Monday, nearly five years after the man's death.

John Buehler was killed in an armed standoff at a trapper's cabin near Lake Kinbasket, south of Valemount, B.C., on Sept. 17, 2014.

His adult daughter, Shanna Buehler, was also shot and taken to hospital. She has since recovered.

Forensic pathologist Dr. James Stephen, who conducted the autopsy of Buehler's body five days after he died, presented his findings to a seven-person inquest jury.

Stephen said he found six gunshot entrance wounds on Buehler's back and side. 

The bullets tore through his internal organs, causing lethal damage to his heart. The cause of death was gunshot wounds to the chest.

In 2014, RCMP said officers with the emergency response team fired several shots in an attempt to arrest John Buehler, 51, for failing to appear in court on previous charges.

Hours after the shooting, RCMP released a public statement saying "shots were fired and police officers returned fire." The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) later said it found no evidence that both parties fired shots.

The Crown decided not to charge the four RCMP officers involved in the shooting in late 2016, saying the evidence gathered by the IIO — which investigates all police-involved shootings — did not meet standards for charge approval. 

Buehler had been arrested and charged in a separate incident earlier in June 2014. That arrest followed an extended standoff with police.

That incident prompted Buehler's sister, Theresa Hebert, to contact Valemount RCMP and express her worry that her brother would seriously hurt someone.

A recording of the 2014 conversation between Hebert and an RCMP officer was played for the inquest jury.

In the audio, Hebert said her brother was mentally ill and quick to anger.

She also said he had threatened his ex-wife and other family members at gunpoint in the past. 

Hebert called Buehler an "expert marksman" who collected guns, ammunition and food in preparation for a future global economic collapse.

Hebert said she feared her brother would target police in an attack similar to the 2004 ambush of police near Mayerthorpe, Alberta. Four RCMP officers were shot and killed in the incident.

A coroner's inquest was announced on May 22. The inquests are mandatory for any deaths that happen while a person was detained by or in the custody of a peace officer. 

The inquest is being held at the Prince George, B.C. courthouse. 

The jury will review the details of Buehler's death and may recommend measures to prevent similar deaths in the future.

Coroner's juries do not make findings of legal responsibility.

Twenty-eight witnesses are expected to testify over a seven-day period.