Inquest called into 2024 fatal Unicity shooting after Winnipeg officer stabbed in throat
Posted June 30, 2026 12:34 pm.
Last Updated June 30, 2026 1:08 pm.
An inquest has been called into the fall 2024 fatal shooting of a 24-year-old man wielding a knife and a hatchet after he allegedly stabbed an officer in the throat at the Unicity shopping centre.
The inquest into Jordan Charlie’s death is one of four inquests called by Manitoba’s chief medical examiner on Tuesday.
Charlie died after being shot multiple times by Winnipeg police at a shopping plaza on the evening of Nov. 24, 2024. Manitoba’s police watchdog, the Independent Investigation Unit (IIU), determined last December the officers were “reasonable in their actions” and would not face charges.
The inquest called by chief medical examiner Dr. John K. Younes will determine the circumstances related to the man’s death, and if anything can be done to prevent similar deaths from occurring in the future.
“Information about the date, time, and location of the inquest will be determined by the Chief Judge of the Provincial Court of Manitoba and released at a later date,” the inquest notice reads.
Winnipeg police officers were called to the Unicity shopping centre about a man — now identified as Charlie — possibly stealing items from a Walmart. When one of the officers attempted to arrest him, Charlie reportedly punched him in the neck while holding a knife. That’s when officers pulled out their guns.
Charlie retreated to a bus shelter, took out a hatchet, and was holding a weapon in each hand, according to the IIU report from December. The officers directed him to drop his weapons. Two witnesses told Manitoba’s police watchdog Charlie was making “kissy faces” at the officers.
When Charlie started moving towards the officers – something two witnesses also confirmed – they fired their weapons multiple times. The officer who was allegedly stabbed said he “feared grievous bodily harm.”
A toxicology report confirmed methamphetamine in Charlie’s blood.
A 24-second video clip of the incident posted to social media shortly after the shooting provided insight into what happened but also fuelled criticism — with critics saying the officers were heavy-handed and reactionary.
Winnipeg apartment shooting
Manitoba’s chief medical examiner also called an inquest into the death of 65-year-old John James Kushnir.
Kushnir was killed by Winnipeg police officers on Oct. 2, 2024. They were responding to multiple reports of a man wielding edged weapons in an apartment building on Main Street.
Kushnir was reportedly in the hallway “stabbing at walls and doors and making homicidal comments,” according to the inquest notice, and did not listen to officers who told him to drop his weapons.
