Inquest into police shooting death of Chantel Moore delayed again until May

A corner's inquest into the shooting death of Chantel Moore by a police officer in Edmundstonhas been delayed again,until May 16, nearly two years after she was killed.

Moore,26, of Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation in British Columbia was fatally shot on June 4, 2020, during a wellness check at her apartment.

The inquest was scheduled tobegin Feb. 22 at the Edmundston Convention Centre.

It will now be held in Fredericton at the Delta Fredericton Hotel and is expected to last four to six days, the Department of Justice and Public Safety announced in a news release Monday.

No explanation for the delay or change of venue was given.

An inquest is a formal court proceeding where all evidence related to a death is presented to a jury that can make recommendations aimed atpreventing similar deaths.

Moore's death has been the subject of national attention, with calls for a speedy, independent investigation that would bring the facts of the situation to light.

The Edmundstonpolice officer who shot and killed Moore,Const. Jeremy Son, alleged he was backed into a corner by Moore, who he said was wielding a knife.

Son did not face charges.The Public Prosecution Service said there was no reasonable prospect of a conviction after an investigation by Quebec's police watchdog, the Bureau des enqutes indpendantes.

The New Brunswick Police Commission subsequentlyruledSon did not breach the code of conduct.

"The Coroner Service is an independent fact-finding agency that may not make any finding of legal responsibility," Monday's news release said.

The inquest was originally scheduled to begin Dec. 6, 2021.

Acting chief coroner Michael Johnston willpreside over the inquest, which will be open to the public.

It will be conducted in both English and French, and there will be simultaneous translation, the release said.

COVID-19 restrictions will be in place, and proof of vaccination and identification will be required of those in attendance.