This is a list of people who died as a result of an interaction with law enforcement officers in Canada. The list includes deaths caused by officers both on and off duty, and does not discriminate by method or motivation.

This list is incomplete; there are no official statistics on fatal shootings by law enforcement officers in Canada, though the range had previously been estimated to be between 15 and 25 per year. In 2018, The CBC published "Deadly Force", an investigative report described as "the first country-wide database of every person who died or was killed during a police intervention", which documented 461 fatal police encounters in Canada between 2000 and 2017, suggesting the average is closer to 26 people a year. "Deadly Force" also recorded an increasing average yearly number of police-involved deaths over time. At the moment, Statistics Canada only tracks fatal police shootings if the officer involved is criminally charged.

List

Before 1980

Date Name (age)of deceased Province or Territory CityPolice Force Description of Incident1900-05-21Two unknown menOntario (Berlin)Two workmen were killed by police with sabres during a workers' strike. Fifty other people were injured and 103 arrests made.c. 1928McKee, Carl "Gunner"Manitoba (Winnipeg)McKee was killed by Det. Sgt. Charles McIver after shooting McIver while being arrested for a string of drug store robberies. The Winnipeg Evening Tribune later reported that McIver had been given a medal for his bravery facing McKee.1932-02-17Albert JohnsonYukon (Eagle River)The true identity of Johnson has never been established. He shot a Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and, after an extended manhunt across the Northwest Territories and Yukon, was killed in a shootout with police on the Eagle River, Yukon.1936-05-23Norman Ryan (41)Ontario (Sarnia)Sarnia Police ServiceRyan, a Toronto gangster known to have killed six people was shot and killed by Sarnia police in a gunfight at a liquor store that also killed Constable Jack Lewis."Once Upon A City: Charming, ‘reformed’ bank robber a villain to the end". Toronto Star, November 13, 2016. Page IN7. Valerie Hauch.1944-04-04Silver, Martin Manitoba (Winnipeg)Winnipeg Police ServiceSilver, a career criminal with arrests in Ottawa, Montreal, and Toronto, was suspected of involvement in at least 60 burglaries in Winnipeg. During one burglary, he shot Sgt. Major E. Sewell and Dtv. James Ayres. Fleeing by car, he was eventually cornered on foot at a nursing home by Cst. Alex Jamieson. Silver threatened Jamieson with his gun, leading to a shootout where Silver fired four shots and Jamieson returned five. The final shot from Jamieson struck Silver in the chest, killing him.1953-11-29Belfon, Garfield (14)Ontario (Toronto)Toronto Police ServiceCst. Edwinn George Barkley shot Belfon in a College Street building's basement, where Belfon was hiding with friends. Belfon died from a neck wound en route to the hospital. During Barkley's manslaughter trial, he claimed the shooting was accidental, caused by a falling box. However, Frank Fuss, one of Belfon's friends present, disputed this account, stating the basement was lit and no box fell on Barkley"Charge P.C. as boy, 14, shot dead." The Toronto Star, November 30, 1953.1957-12-03Gallaway, John (81)Ontario (Toronto)Retired Saskatchewan public school inspector struck and killed by a police car driven by Insp. Howard Cramp.1965-03-01 (circa)Nicholls, Richard George (24)Ontario (Windsor)Shot and killed by Const. Craig Robinson, after taking part in a burglary on a pharmacy.1965-07-11Drake, Ronald Gordon (23)Ontario (London)London Police ServiceDrake was shot and killed by Const. Brian Potsans after stealing sweaters from a menswear shop.1967-03-03Levasseur, Antoine (25)Quebec (Ste-Véronique)Levasseur was shot and killed by police after reportedly committing a robbery on a credit union. He had recently escaped from a jail in Montmagny.1967-09-16Proietti, Monica (27)Quebec (Montreal)Proietti, a bank robber better known as "Machine Gun Molly", was shot by police following a high speed chase.1967-10-20Murdock, Richard (30)Quebec (Montreal)Murdock was shot and killed by Const. Michel Brosseau after being involved in a standoff with police in which he was armed with a machine gun.1969Unknown (19)Saskatchewan (Regina)A teenager was shot and killed by Regina police during a stake-out.1970-07-03Kinghorn, Edgar (19)Quebec (Laflèche, Quebec)Lafleche PolicePolice arrived on the scene after Kinghorn, who did not seem to be in a stable mental state and declared himself to be Jesus Christ, refused to pay for a pack of cigarettes at a gas station. He carried a long sabre which he swung at police before being shot in the head by Const. Jean Marc Legros. A coroner's inquest determined that the officer acted in self-defence but that police should be given better marksman training. The officer had been trained to aim for the legs but testified that his firearms training had only been 90 minutes long.1970-12-12Spencer, RoyBritish Columbia (Prince George)RCMPSpencer, the father of NHL player Brian Spencer, was shot and killed by police after he held up CKPG Radio/TV, angry that they were not airing his son's game.1972UnknownBritish Columbia (Vancouver)An officer's gun went off while he was struggling to arrest a suspect. The officer was charged with manslaughter, but the charge was dismissed against him in a preliminary inquiry.1974-12-20Gagnon, Phillip Laurier (26)Alberta (Calgary)Calgary Police ServiceGagnon, during a siege, fired hundreds of rounds at police, killing Dtv. Boyd Davidson and wounding others. The standoff ended when police, with assistance from CFB Calgary, used an armoured personnel carrier to demolish Gagnon's hideout. Gagnon was then shot and killed by police.1975UnknownBritish Columbia (Vancouver)An officer's shot and killed a suspect during a struggle to arrest a suspect. The officer was charged with second-degree murder, but was acquitted at trial.1975-01-24Blass, RichardQuebec (Montreal)Blass, a Montreal gangster, was shot by police when he approached them holding what appeared to be a gun. Some sources said that it was actually a black sock.1975-04-28Lajoie, Michel (33)Quebec (Shawinigan)Lajoie was shot and killed by police during a robbery at a Banque Canadienne Nationale.1975-04-28Giroux, Albery (22)Quebec (Shawinigan)Giroux was shot and killed by police during a robbery at a Banque Canadienne Nationale.1975-04-28Essiambre, Donat (54)Quebec (Shawinigan)Essiambre was shot and killed by police during a robbery at a Banque Canadienne Nationale.1975-07-27Rose, Donald Wayne (29)Alberta (Edmonton)Edmonton Police ServiceRose was shot and killed by Const. Gary Tkachuk outside his home after he did not follow orders to drop his gun. The police were investigating a liquor store robbery. Police reported Rose had previously expressed a wish "to commit suicide and [use] the police department to do it."1976-01-11Savoy, Francis JosephOntario (Toronto)Savoy was shot and killed by police after taking a hostage.1976-05-15Slawvey, John (38)Quebec (Montreal)MUC PoliceSlawvey, who was a suspect in the Brink's bank robbery of March 30, 1976, was shot and killed by Det. Sgt. Andre Savard and four other policemen in an apartment building in Montreal's west end.1976-05-27Tremblay, Marcel (49)Quebec (near Quebec City)Sûreté du QuébecTremblay, a suspect in a "holdup conspiracy" police were tipped off to, was shot and killed alongside Clement Parent after they allegedly opened fire at police.1976-05-27Parent, Clement (23)Quebec (near Quebec City)Sûreté du QuébecParent, a suspect in a "holdup conspiracy" police were tipped off to, was shot and killed alongside Marcel Tremblay after they allegedly opened fire at police.1976-08-28Holmes, Rosaire Armand (27)Alberta (Grande Prairie)RCMPHolmes, who was drunk at the time, was shot and killed by police after firing at passersby from his home, killing one person and injuring others.1976-09-16Blanchet, Gerard (23)Quebec (Montreal)MUC PoliceBlanchet was killed after his car collided with a police car responding to a call.1977-08-15Misztal, Alexander (51)Ontario (Toronto)Toronto Police ServiceMisztal was shot and killed by Const. Christopher Bailey after brandishing a toy gun at him.1978-08-07Nattinen, Hans (66)Ontario (Toronto)Toronto Police ServiceNattinen, a Finnish immigrant, was shot and killed by the Emergency Task Force after reportedly pointing a gun, which was later found to be unloaded, at them. Police had come to his building after receiving a call "in clear English" that hostages had been taken. Nattinen's sister later questioned whether her brother, who spoke with an accent, had made the call and whether he understood what was happening, as he was extremely intoxicated when he died. An inquest found that the officer had acted in self-defence.1978-08-08Evans, Andrew "Buddy" (24)Ontario (Toronto)Toronto Police ServiceEvans, a Black man originally from East Preston, NS, was shot and killed by Const. John Clark at a discotheque, after he allegedly hit Clark with the officer's own nightstick. His death sparked protests in Toronto. The ambulance dispatcher who responded to Evans' death was later demoted after transcripts revealed him referring to Evans by a racial slur and saying "he won't be missed". Clark was cleared of any wrongdoing by an inquest.1978-08-22Reid, Paul (16)Ontario (Toronto)Toronto Police ServiceReid, was shot and killed by Toronto police after holding a 15-year-old girl hostage for 7 hours. He had recently escaped from the Brampton Adult Training Centre, which his father criticized in the press for allowing him to "just walk away".1978-11-11Wawryniuk, Michael (73)Ontario (Toronto)Toronto Police ServiceWawryniuk, who had a history of mental health issues known to the police, was shot and killed by Const. David Keates after he lunged at him with kitchen knives. An inquest found that Keates acted in self-defence.1979-05-08Elie, William (23)Ontario (Scarborough)Elie was shot and killed by police in a LCBO parking lot. He was holding what was later revealed to be a toy gun, which he pointed at officers. He matched the description of a man who had reportedly threatened someone with a gun earlier that day. A jury found that the police had "no alternative" but to shoot Elie. The entire incident last between 5 and 10 seconds.1979-06-11Torcato, AquilinoOntario (Toronto)Toronto Police ServiceTorcato, a Portuguese immigrant, father of two and owner of an auto shop with a history of alcoholism was shot and killed by Const. Clark of the Emergency Task Force. Police were called to the neighbourhood because of a disturbance. After a shot was fired by Torcato, who was drunk at the time, from inside his house a long standoff ensued. Eventually police entered the house and found Torcato with a gun which he pointed at Clark, who shot and killed him. An inquest found that Clark acted in self-defence1979-08-26Johnson, Albert (35)Ontario (Toronto)Toronto Police ServiceJohnson, a Jamaican immigrant who suffered from mental illness, was shot and killed by police in his home in front of his young daughter. His death sparked protests in the Greater Toronto Area. Two officers were charged with manslaughter but eventually acquitted.1979-08-30Enns, Lyle Dean (18)Manitoba (Sidney)RCMPEnns was shot and killed at his family's farm by Const. Wiley Grimm, after he reportedly killed a police dog which was set loose on him. The case attracted some attention in the press and was discussed in the Manitoba Legislature.Fourth Session - Thirty-First Legislature of Manitoba - Debates and Proceedings, Vol XXVIII, No. 78A, June 12, 1980, ISSN 0542-5492

1980–1999