A coroner’s inquest is set to begin today to examine the death of Jamal Francique, a 28-year-old Black man who was shot by police west of Toronto during an arrest attempt in January 2020.
Francique’s death was one of several cases to bring scrutiny to how police interact with racialized people.
Here are some key dates in the case:
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Jan. 7, 2020: Peel regional police officers confront Jamal Francique while he is in a car in Mississauga, Ont., according to Ontario’s police watchdog. There is an “interaction” as officers move to arrest him, and one officer shoots him multiple times, including once in the head. His family later says Francique was unarmed and living with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Jan. 9, 2020: Francique dies in hospital after several days on life support.
Aug. 23, 2020: Family and friends of Francique and D’Andre Campbell, another Black man shot dead by Peel police, gather in Brampton, Ont., for a rally and barbecue. Francique’s father, Derek Francique, says the family wants answers.
Jan. 20, 2021: The Special Investigations Unit, a watchdog agency, finds there are no reasonable grounds to lay charges against the officer who shot Francique. The agency’s director, Joseph Martino, says in a report that the officer reported fearing for his life when Francique drove at him during a botched arrest. He says, however, that there are legitimate questions about the officer’s conduct. Francique’s family contests the findings, and their lawyer says the report has several deficiencies.
June 2022: Francique’s family files a lawsuit against police, paramedics, the SIU and others.
Oct. 23, 2026: A coroner’s inquest is announced in Francique’s death.
Nov. 12, 2026: The inquest is set to begin and last 11 days.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2026.
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