British Columbia

Coroners inquest into Mehrdad Bayrami police shooting makes 16 recommendations

A coroners inquest has made 16 recommendations after hearing the case of a 48-year-old man who was fatally shot by police outside a British Columbia casino.

Mehrdad Bayrami's daughter told the inquest her father had been on medication for severe depression

Mehrdad Bayrami died in hospital in November 2012, 10 days after he was shot in the abdomen by a police officer. (Shane MacKichan/CBC)

A coroners inquest has made 16 recommendations after hearing the case of a 48-year-old man who was fatally shot by police outside a Metro Vancouver casino.

Mehrdad Bayrami was shot and killed following an hours-long standoff outside New Westminster's Starlight Casino in November 2012.

The recommendations include improving access to mental health services and reducing stigma around mental illness.

Bayrami's daughter Nousha Bayrami told the inquest on Tuesday that her father had been on medication for severe depression before he was killed, and that she likely could have helped to calm him down.

The inquest recommended establishing provincial standards for police emergency response teams, that the teams work with psychologists during incidents, and record standoffs on a mobile device.

The coroners inquest was tasked with considering whether to make recommendations aimed at preventing similar events from occurring, but it cannot assign blame.