RCMP Officer Won't be Charged after Shooting Ian Bush in Head in B.C. Jail

It was clear from the first day of this nauseating affair that self-defence would be Constable Paul Koester's defence. In its first press release, issued hours after the shooting, the RCMP indicated Mr. Bush had become "very violent and attacked the officer." A "violent struggle ensued," the release said, and Mr. Bush died at the scene.

There were only two people who knew what happened that night, and one was no longer alive. It was always going to be Paul Koester's word against that of a dead man's.

There was no one else present in the detachment at the time of the shooting. And for some reason, the video and audio equipment in the interview room where the incident took place was not turned on.

Wally Oppal, B.C.'s Attorney-General, told The Globe and Mail on Tuesday that he was in "thorough agreement" with the decision not to lay charges. He indicated evidence showed the officer sustained bruises to his face. There were also signs he had been choked before he shot Mr. Bush.

I don't doubt that for a second.

When two grown men fight that's often what happens. Punches are thrown. Noses are broken. Eyes are blackened. And in the course of a scuffle, both men might grab the other by the neck. I have no doubt Constable Koester had marks around his. What I'll never believe is that Ian Bush intended to kill him. Not a chance in the world.

This was a described as one of the "nicest kids in town," with no history of violence other than the odd dust-up in the local bar.

Constable Koester will no doubt tell the coroner's inquest that he felt his life was threatened. On those grounds, he will say, he felt justified in shooting Mr. Bush. What I'm interested in hearing is how in God's name it ever got to that point to begin with.

Mr. Bush was arrested outside the local arena for having an open beer and giving a fake name when questioned about it. He was led away in handcuffs. Every time I think about what happened next I ask myself: How badly could the officer have mismanaged the situation to put himself in the position of killing an unarmed man 20 minutes arresting him?At the time of the arrest, there was another officer on the scene. So you have two armed RCMP constables, and the guy with nothing more than an empty beer ends up dead. Huh?

Among the many questions the Bush family will be looking to have answered at the coroner's inquest -- which could be held as early as November -- is what RCMP policy is regarding handling of prisoners.

When handling a prisoner alone, for instance, should an RCMP officer have a weapon that could possibly be used against him?

If Constable Koester explains Ian Bush tried to take his gun or that he feared Ian Bush was going to take his gun and shoot him, who's to argue? Also, Constable Koester had only been out of RCMP training school five months. The Bush family has been told an RCMP officer is supposed to have at least six months experience before being left alone with a prisoner.

Also expected to be a key focus of the inquest is the "blood splatter" the shot produced. It can tell investigators a lot about where the two men were in relation to each other when the gun went off.

Prince George-based coroner Shane DeMeyer will conduct the Bush inquest. He has an excellent reputation for being thorough and fair. He is unlikely to be intimidated by the RCMP or the national attention this inquest will generate.

The sooner it begins the better.

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