Man shot dead by Winnipeg police after chase had 'troubled' past, was in and out of jail: family

A man shot to death by Winnipeg police this week had been released from jail just months earlier and was celebrating with a friend, whoinvestigators say led police on a cross-border manhuntbefore being captured in Saskatchewan.

In a March photo posted on his Facebook page, Tristan Mariash, 30, is seen toasting withDavid Frank Burling, 29, with the caption "feels good to be out." A video Mariash posted about a week ago with both men refers to the two as"brothers."

Family confirmed Mariashwas the man who died after being shotfollowing a police pursuitacross a swath of southern Manitoba early Wednesday morning.

"There's such little information," his father, CoryKrivoshea, told CBC News on Friday. "There's so many questions. Nobody should've died for running from the police.

Winnipeg police began the pursuit shortly after midnight Wednesday, whenthey spotted a pickup truckthat had been reported stolen in the west end of the city.

The police service's helicopter tracked the Ford F-350 for about an hour, before it ended up in Otterburne, south of Winnipeg, where a police cruiser wasrammed by the stolen vehicle. An"engagement" followed, in which police fired their guns, and the suspects fledin the truck, Winnipeg police said.

The chase led police north to a gas station inNivervillearound 3 a.m., wherethe driver of the stolen truckgot into another vehicle and fled.

Mariash wasfound inside the Ford with a gunshot wound. Winnipeg police said he died from hisinjuries before an ambulance arrived.

Following the shooting, a search ensued for Burling that led RCMPto the area of Springside, Sask., just northwest of the city of Yorkton, where they arrested him.

Long criminal records

Both men have lengthy criminal records.

Court records show Burling had five convictions for fleeing from police in the past, including once in 2022 for an incident in the Portage la Prairie area. He just finished his sentence in that incident earlier this year.

Mariash's record includedproperty and driving offences.

He hadpleaded guilty to fleeing from a peace officer and assault with a weaponin April 2020, and to weapons and ammunition possession offences stemming from an incident in mid-March 2022, court documents show.

During a sentencing hearing last year, his lawyer, Tara Walker, said that Mariash lived with diagnosed intellectual disabilities and was on employment and income assistance.

Shealso said Mariash had become the sole caregiver to his mother. Hisfather was in and out of his life from the time Mariash was 10 on, but was never involved as a caregiver.

His mother had been diagnosed as terminally ill when Mariash was in Grade 5.By the time he was in Grade 9, his mother was completely wheelchair-bound.

The lawyer said he dropped out of school in Grade 10 to take care of her. CFS was involved early on, but then dropped off from assisting him, Walker said.

His mother died in 2014, when he was 19 or 20 years old.

"I took it hard when my mom passed away," Mariash, 29 at the time,told court during his sentencing.

The lawyer said he later got involved with a group of friends who used drugs.

"Mr. Mariash is wanting to get out of the system. He's at the age where he doesn't want to keep coming back," Walker told the judge. "He recognizes that this is kind of a turning point for him."

'Had a good heart': father

Krivosheasaidhis son"had a good heart,but he was troubled," and was in and out of juvenile detention and jail, he said.

"Basically, he was a good kid, but he had his problems."

Tristan's cousin Stephen Mariash echoedKrivoshea,saying Tristan was "troubled" but tried to turn his life around when he got out of jail.

"He loved his family and friends so much," Stephen said in a message to CBC News. "It's going to be hard with him not around. He will never be forgotten."

The Independent Investigation Unit, which investigates all serious incidents involving police, has taken over the case.

Apart from confirming his son is dead, Krivosheasaid he still hasn't receivedmuch informationfrom investigators.

"They told me absolutely nothing," he said. "I want to know what happened."

Man shot dead by Winnipeg police after chase had 'troubled' past: family

3 months ago

Duration 2:09

Family members have confirmed Tristan Mariash, 30, was the man shot to death by Winnipeg police on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, after a police pursuit across a swath of southern Manitoba.