Witnesses provided accounts of their interactions with Myles Gray leading up to his demise in August 2015 during a public inquiry on police officers’ behavior held on Tuesday. The inquiry, one of the most significant in scope, is examining allegations against Vancouver Police Department constables Kory Folkestad, Eric Birzneck, Derek Cain, Josh Wong, Beau Spencer, Hardeep Sahota, and Nick Thompson for potentially misusing their authority by using excessive force in Gray’s death.
All seven officers have refuted the accusations. Gray succumbed to injuries sustained after being assaulted by the police, with injuries that included a ruptured testicle, a fractured voice box, a broken eye socket, and extensive bruising.
Testimonies on Tuesday involved individuals who encountered Gray before he entered a yard on Joffre Avenue in Burnaby near the Vancouver border. Andreah Pilgrim, an employee at an insurance company in Burnaby, testified that she observed Gray pacing near a bus stop close to her office, displaying erratic behavior on August 13, 2015. She mentioned seeing Gray muttering to himself, searching under bushes, and making gestures with his fists.
Pilgrim noted that Gray had removed his shirts and carried them while she expressed her concerns for her safety and that of her colleagues due to a “protective instinct.” She recalled observing Gray’s determined demeanor as he leaned against the gate of a business parking lot, indicating that something seemed amiss with him.
Another witness, Muhammed Reza, testified about an incident in August 2015 when he witnessed Gray holding a hose after his mother was sprayed with water by Gray, who made inappropriate comments. Reza called 911 out of concern for Gray’s behavior, describing him as potentially intoxicated or experiencing a mental breakdown. He followed Gray at a distance and observed him engaging in erratic actions, eventually crossing a bridge into Burnaby.
Upon encountering a female VPD officer, Gray became agitated and aggressive, attempting to grab onto the officer’s car window before two plainclothes male officers intervened. Gray proceeded up a hill into a backyard, out of Reza’s sight. Reza heard distressing screams, believed to be from Gray possibly being Tasered, before the male officers returned with injuries.
Friends and family of Gray expressed apprehensions on Monday about the focus shifting to Gray’s character instead of police actions. The 10-week hearing will continue on Wednesday.