The death inquest for a 40-year-old man from Assiniboia began this morning at the Moose Jaw Court of Kings bench. 

Jeremy Sabourin died in a Moose Jaw Police Service holding cell on Oct. 7, 2021, after a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Blaine Beaven is the coroner overseeing the proceedings. 

The death inquest is expected to take three to five days. 

Moose Jaw Police Service Const. Chris Flanagan was first to testify in the morning. He was the staff sergeant in charge of the holding cells on the day that Sabourin died. He had only been a staff sergeant for five months at the time of the death. 

Flanagan told the inquest that Sabourin was an RCMP transfer from Assiniboia on Oct. 6 to attend court the next day. 

He testified that the RCMP officer told him that Sabourin had already been searched so the officers did not conduct another search. Evidence was brought forward that it is Moose Jaw Police Service should search all prisoners even if they are a transfer from another police service. 

He told the inquest that he recommended more communication between police services when handing over inmates. Flanagan testified that he was unaware that Sabourin was suicidal until it was flagged in their internal system. 

He added that when prisoners are booked, the MJPS policy is only to ask if the prisoner is suicidal or has thoughts of self-harm. Flanagan said Sabourin did not answer when he was asked and there was no police policy if someone doesn’t answer the questions. Flanagan stated that Sabourin never answered several questions before being booked. 

Due to the incident, Flanagan was demoted to constable and suspended. 

Flanagan said since the incident, officers use a metal detector wand on all prisoners when they are being booked. 

Discover Moose Jaw will have more as the death inquest continues.