Coroner's jury finds man died by suicide after escaping RCMP custody

A coroner's jury is recommending more training and oversight of guards at RCMP detachments following an inquest into the death of a Hall Beach man who escaped from police custody.

Tommy Anguilianuk died Jan. 21, 2013. Anguilianuk had asked a guard at the local detachment to let him get some fresh air at around 12:45 a.m. That's when he escaped.

Bylaw officers found Anguilianuk's body about two hours later under the steps of a house. He had shot himself.

Following this week's inquest, the coroner's jury ruled Anguilianuk's death a suicide and issued 13 recommendations, mostly to RCMP and the Government of Nunavut:

1. require guards to complete at least two days training before beginning their employment 
2. require guards to take refresher training every six months 
3. make instructions to guards available in English and Inuktitut 
4. immediately fix any building maintenance issues such as inadequate or excessive heating 
5. require civilian guards to achieve FA4 security clearance before undertaking guard duties 
6. in two- or three-member detachments, the commander should ensure an officer checks on prisoners and guards every six hours when there is reason to be concerned about health and safety of prisoner or the reliability of the guard 
7. post the suicide helpline number on the wall at detachments 
8. co-ordinate assessment and intervention strategies for dealing with male depression 
9. education on firearm safety and issuing of trigger locks to gun owners every six months 
10. culturally-appropriate information, education and communication resources to aid door-to-door trigger lock campaign 
11. continued support for recommendations from the Uttak and Akumalik inquest of Sept. 25, 2015
12. instruct guards to call RCMP officers with requests to escort prisoners out of cells for fresh air where appropriate 
13. investigators should allow family members to see the deceased's body where feasible 

In all cases, the jury said it's important to take into account Inuit culture and emphasized the need for family members to see the body of family members who die to help provide them with closure.