RCMP officer disregarded training, was 'unwise, unjustified' in pursuit leading to fatal shooting: inquest

An inquest into the fatal police shooting of an impaired driver in Thompson almost nine years ago found the RCMP officer who killed the man disregarded his training, committing "unwise, unjustified" and at times illegal acts during a police pursuit.

Steven Douglas Campbell, 39, was shot and killed by RCMP Const. Abram Letkeman in Thompson, about 760 kilometres north of Winnipeg, on Nov. 21, 2015. The incident happened after his car was crashed intentionally twice by the Mountie during a police pursuit over suspected impaired driving.

Manitoba's chief medical examinercalled for an inquest into Campbell's death after the fatal shooting almost nine years ago, but that legal proceeding was adjourned until last year's fall, pending the resolution of the criminal case against Letkeman.

A report with the findings, released earlier this week, left no recommendations for changes within the RCMP, but the judge presiding over the inquest found Letkeman's actions were "contrary to his training" as an officer.

"The tragic event followed actions that were unwise, unjustified, and, insofar as Letkeman's driving is concerned, illegal." Judge Timothy Killeen said in his inquest report.

"Nothing in his background or training should have alerted the RCMP to the potential for this behaviour," he said.

An internal investigation conducted by the RCMPintothe fatal shooting, filed as evidence in the inquest, found Letkeman's actions during the police pursuit breached RCMP policy and were "not reasonable" for the circumstances.

The trial into Campbell's death heard Letkeman attempted to stop Campbell over suspected impaired driving while patrolling alone, but Campbell drove off from the officer, leading to a police pursuit.

Letkeman followed Campbell's Jeep before ramming it from the back. The officer testified during the trial that he hoped to end the chase by using his police car to bump the back of the Jeep, forcing it to rotate and stop. The crash made the vehicle spin 180 degrees, but it didn't bring it to a halt.

Thetrial also found Letkeman failed to notify the dispatcher of the crash, seeking permission instead to continue the pursuit, which was granted based on the "significant omission" of bumping the Jeep.

The pursuit continued at low speed on a snow-covered and uneven trail for all-terrain vehicles, where Campbell lost control of his Jeep and stopped. The trial heard Letkeman's vehicle t-boned the Jeep, injuring Lori Fleet, Campbell's girlfriend.

Collision 'not justified': inquest

The internal investigation conducted by the RCMP found Letkeman had no training to perform an intentional collision when he crashed the Jeep from the side and behind.

"[Letkeman] should never have attempted to perform it," Killeen said in the inquest report.

Killeen said Letkeman's initial pursuit was justified and "probably required."

Campbell had alcohol in his system and was almost 2 times over the legal limit to drive, a toxicology report presented during the trial found. He was also under the influence of cocaine and cannabis.

The driver failed to stop at an officer's request, giving Letkeman "a clear reason" to pursue him, Killeen said.

"However, the circumstances of the continuing pursuit could never have justified an intentional collision," he said.

Evidence presented at Letkeman's trial suggested there were no other vehicles or pedestrians in jeopardy. At the same time, it was apparent to Letkeman that Campbell was travelling with other passengers in the vehicle, Killeen said.

The inquest report found Letkeman had no basis to believe Campbell was committing any other offence, and his driving speed was "relatively slow."

"It would have been apparent that a collision was not justified," Killeen said.

"A reasonable person, considering the danger and knowing that the driver did not stop even after the first collision, would have discontinued the pursuit to avoid more harm," he said.

Disregard to RCMP policy: report

The inquest learned Letkeman had "nothing lacking" in his training for the use of force, but he disregarded it the night of the fatal shooting.

The RCMP's internal report concluded Letkemanconducted an improper risk assessment, failed to properly communicate the pursuit to the dispatcher and didn't terminate the car chase when it was "prudent to do so."

"The first and second intentional collisions resulted in a situation where Letkeman feared for his life as Mr. Campbell drove towards him," Killeen said. "They lead to the tragedy that followed."

At Letkeman's trial the officer testified he didn't wait for backup after the Jeep came to a stop during the second intentional collision. So the officer walked out of his vehicle and in front of the Jeep, drawing his firearm.

Campbell then drove the vehicle forward, veering to the left, towards Letkeman, and striking his right foot. The inquest report said that's when Letkeman began firing at the Jeep.

Expert analysis presented at the trial showed the officer fired 11 shots in about three seconds. Campbell was struck nine times and died from the wounds.

Letkeman was convicted in 2019 of criminal negligence causing bodily harm in connection with the case but was acquitted of manslaughter and other shooting-related charges.

He was sentenced to pay a $10,000 fine and given three years' probation, but the Crown appealed the sentence at Manitoba's top court, which overturned it and replaced it with a term of incarceration.

Letkeman resigned from the RCMP after the first trial and has already served the sentence imposed on the criminal trial, the inquest said.