The mother of a 15-year-old autistic boy fatally shot by police in Surrey, B.C., told a coroner’s inquest Monday that she hopes her son’s death will lead to improvements in how first responders communicate with neurodivergent people in crisis. Crystal De Balinhard described the medical and developmental challenges her son, Chase, faced throughout his life, the circumstances leading up to his death and her family’s frustration over unanswered questions. She also acknowledged the difficult circumstances confronting the officers involved in the shooting, telling the jury that her family’s advocacy has never been about pitting them against police. “We know they didn’t go up there to hurt our son. It’s never been us against them. It’s just about training, because I know that nobody that was there had any autism-specific training,” a tearful De Balinhard told the court. Her testimony came on the opening day of a coroner’s inquest into Chase’s death on Feb. 9, 2025. The proceedings follow an investigation by B.C.’s Independent Investigations Office (IIO), which concluded the officers’ use of lethal force was legally justified and found no reasonable grounds to believe an officer had committed a criminal offence. Unlike the IIO investigation, the inquest is not intended to determine criminal or civil liability. Instead, a jury will examine the circumstances surrounding the teenager’s death and consider recommendations aimed at preventing similar tragedies. Remembering Chase De Balinhard was the first witness to testify, introducing jurors to her son through photographs and stories about his personality and interests. She described Chase as funny, kind-hearted and fond of practical jokes, superheroes, old movies and vintage toys. He loved frightening his mother by jumping out to surprise her and once took money from the family’s emergency fund to buy a toy for a neighbour’s dog because he considered it an emergency. He adored animals, particularly his cat, Ava, and had recently discovered a passion for kayaking through an adaptive paddling program.. As a child, Chase dreamed of becoming a police officer like his paternal grandfather, who served with the RCMP. He later developed an interest in antiques and hoped to open a vintage toy store. A lifetime of developmental challenges De Balinhard testified that Chase lived with numerous medical and developmental conditions, including autism, ADHD, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, XYY syndrome, significant visual impairment and a congenital heart condition. He also had a mild intellectual disability, according to his treating psychiatrist, Dr. Patricia Frew. His mother described delayed developmental milestones, difficulty reading and writing, challenges with personal care and an ongoing need for assistance with everyday activities. She said Chase sometimes relied on his phone to understand written information or compose messages. He was particularly sensitive to loud noises, aggressive tones and crowded environments. De Balinhard testified that her son struggled to process multiple instructions, especially when distressed, and needed people to speak calmly and give him time to respond. When overwhelmed, he could become angry, swear or walk away. His family worked with counsellors and other professionals to develop coping strategies, including breathing exercises, music, video games and removing himself from stressful situations.The goal was to help him learn skills he would later need living independently as an adult. Walking away was something Chase had been taught to do from a young age. A written mental-health safety plan identified his warning signs, coping strategies and people he could contact for help, including his mother. Frew later testified that the plan, created in March 2023, had not been updated to reflect changes in his counselling team, although she had recommended additional safety planning. The psychiatrist described Chase as someone who could become irritable quickly, sometimes yelling, swearing or damaging property during emotional outbursts, but said he was generally not physically assaultive toward others. When cross examined by counsel for the RCMP, she also explained that someone familiar with an autistic individual’s behaviour may better understand their communication needs than a person encountering them for the first time. However, Frew emphasized that she could not assess Chase’s state of mind during the police encounter. Psychiatrist describes history of suicidal thoughts Jurors heard extensive testimony from Frew about Chase’s mental-health history, including chronic suicidal thoughts. The psychiatrist, who began treating Chase when he was 12, explained that many of his statements about wanting to die appeared during periods of emotional distress. She said Chase sometimes acknowledged making those comments because he was angry and later denied wanting to act on them. Frew also considered whether some of his repetitive thoughts could be connected to autism or obsessive-compulsive symptoms. However, under questioning from counsel representing the RCMP, she acknowledged previous clinical records describing thoughts involving specific methods of dying, including being struck by a vehicle or using a gun. During an April 2024 assessment, Chase described intrusive thoughts about going into traffic or being stabbed. When asked whether these were things he wanted, he responded that it was a bit of both. Frew also recalled an occasion when Chase made a comment about wanting to shoot up his school, which she believed was connected to bullying. In a separate incident, she said he had brought a small plastic knife to school. The psychiatrist said Chase was generally not assaultive toward others. “We didn’t feel like hospitalization would change his presentation. We really felt that we needed to continue on with ensuring that he had these supports day to day and medication adherence and psychological support that he had. But we did discuss safety at the time with Mum again,” said Frew when recalling her notes from 2024. Chase’s mother also acknowledged that he had previously made statements about wanting to die, run into traffic or shoot himself. She testified that these comments had been discussed with his treatment team and that she understood many of them as expressions of distress. Frew said Chase’s mental health fluctuated over time, affected by anxiety, school attendance, social isolation and difficulties consistently taking his prescribed medication. He was treated with medications, while other medications were discontinued after causing adverse effects. The psychiatrist said Chase generally functioned better when he took his ADHD medication consistently, but was still missing doses despite significant efforts by his family. At his final psychiatric appointment on Jan. 8, 2025, approximately one month before his death, Chase’s grandmother raised concerns about a recent suicidal thought. “That thought seemed really a passive thought. There was no plan attached to it. There was, he said, he didn’t think about it very much,” Frew testified. The psychiatrist said Chase appeared calmer, his mood had improved somewhat and he was looking forward to participating in a photography class. While concerns remained about his mental health, medication adherence and school attendance, Frew did not believe he was actively suicidal at that appointment or required hospitalization. She also testified that she did not believe he met the criteria for involuntary admission under B.C.’s Mental Health Act. His treatment team continued pursuing community supports and explored an adolescent day-treatment program combining education and mental-health services. However, Frew said Chase was not accepted because the program generally excluded young people with intellectual disabilities. She stressed that her earlier clinical assessments did not establish his intentions on the day he died. Teacher describes loss of school supports The inquest also heard from Christine Horton, Chase’s teacher in the Building Academic, Social and Employment Skills (BASES) program at Clayton Heights Secondary School. Her testimony supported concerns raised by Chase’s mother about declining educational assistance. De Balinhard testified that Chase had received considerable help during elementary school, but that support diminished as he grew older. She said he was not diagnosed with autism until 2018, despite the family’s earlier efforts to investigate his developmental delays, which delayed access to certain provincial supports. By Grade 10, Chase continued to struggle academically and socially, with significant difficulty reading, writing and regulating his emotions. His mother also recalled an incident during physical education when Chase became upset after being yelled at and struck by a Frisbee, before leaving the situation. Horton testified that Grade 8 was Chase’s strongest year for attendance, but that it became increasingly sporadic as he grew older. She described extensive efforts by his parents and grandmother to get him to school. By the fall of 2024, Frew said, Chase was attending approximately one class a day. The psychiatrist testified that structured activities and social engagement generally improved his mental health, and her team advocated for additional daytime assistance. Horton explained that Chase’s student designations should, in her view, have provided at least 50 per cent support-worker coverage, potentially through an educational assistant shared with another student. Instead, she testified, his assistance was progressively reduced and eventually redirected to other needs within the school. She attributed the allocation decision to school administration. According to Horton, Chase could meet learning goals when he attended classes and appropriate assistance was available, but struggled to do so independently. She said he recognized that he needed help and was upset when his support was removed. However, the teacher also testified that some assistance was restored shortly before his death. Following a change in vice-principal responsibilities in late January 2025, Horton said Chase and his mother advocated for additional support, and a new administrator reinstated some, but not all, of the assistance. Horton said other students on her caseload had also experienced reductions in support. She described Chase’s family as exceptionally involved in his education and care, including arranging speech-language and behavioural supports outside school. How Chase responded to distress Horton also described how school staff managed Chase’s emotional outbursts. He could become upset by unclear instructions or situations he perceived as unfair, and sometimes left class, wandered through the school or walked home when overwhelmed. The teacher said staff avoided sending unfamiliar people to follow him because an inappropriate interaction could make matters worse. Instead, they would involve someone Chase trusted or contact his mother, who was often able to help him calm down. Under questioning from RCMP counsel, Horton acknowledged school records referring to suicidal comments and threats involving harm to himself or others. She explained that threats toward others were generally defensive, such as when Chase believed someone had mistreated a friend. His statements about self-harm, she said, were often vague expressions of sadness or loneliness. Horton said the school monitored warning signs and tried to address them promptly. She also testified that a separate safety plan for school staff was considered but never developed because Chase had not harmed or threatened staff in a way that met the district’s criteria. The teacher said understanding an autistic person’s individual needs was important and that effective communication could be learned through training and practice. Access to the pellet gun De Balinhard was also questioned about the air pistol Chase was carrying when he was shot. She testified that her husband, Rick, inherited the revolver-style air pistol from his father, who served with the RCMP. She recalled Rick and Chase using it once while camping, but said Chase showed little interest. According to his mother, it was stored in a drawer in Rick’s office, kept locked with the key stored separately in a safe. Under questioning from RCMP counsel, she was also asked about Rick’s firearms licensing. She was initially uncertain about the requirements but recalled he had completed a firearms-related course. Her testimony did not establish how Chase accessed the air pistol on the day of his death. Frew testified that Chase’s treatment team had previously screened for access to weapons and had been told he did not have access to any. The IIO determined the object was a realistic-looking .22-calibre CO2 pellet pistol, loaded with six pellets and a full CO2 cartridge. Further evidence about the pistol and regulations governing its acquisition, storage and possession is expected during the inquest. Recovering from painful surgery De Balinhard also described significant pain Chase was experiencing in the months leading up to his death. He underwent surgery for a pilonidal cyst near his buttocks on Dec. 3, 2024. His mother testified that the wound remained open during recovery and required ongoing medical treatment, including painful wound packing. She said sitting and walking could be difficult and movement sometimes caused bleeding. Both Frew and Horton acknowledged his discomfort. Horton said his school schedule needed to accommodate movement breaks rather than requiring him to sit through an entire 80-minute class. However, the IIO report describes an officer observing Chase fleeing at a “full run” shortly before the shooting. A civilian witness also described seeing Chase walking, briefly tripping and falling. Monday’s testimony did not establish how his medical condition affected his movements during the police encounter. Statements about suicide Counsel representing the RCMP also questioned De Balinhard about previous occasions when Chase had expressed suicidal thoughts or made statements about wanting to die. De Balinhard acknowledged that her son sometimes said things such as “I want to die” or “I wish I was dead” when he became frustrated or upset. However, she testified that she understood those statements as expressions of wanting a distressing situation to end. She said she had discussed Chase’s comments with members of his mental-health treatment team over the years. De Balinhard was also questioned about previous statements Chase had made concerning running into traffic or shooting himself. She acknowledged that he had made such statements, although she was uncertain about the precise dates. His mother said the issues had been discussed in clinical settings and that she had not believed he was at imminent risk at those times. Her testimony reflected her understanding of Chase’s previous behaviour, rather than an independent clinical assessment of his intentions on February 9, 2025. According to the IIO’s December 2025 report, Chase called 911 at approximately 2:38 p.m. that day and told the operator he had a revolver and was going to kill himself. During the 19-minute call, the call-taker asked Chase whether he trusted police. He responded that he did not. The call-taker then asked whether it was simply a lack of trust or whether Chase also felt he wanted to harm police. Chase replied, “Both,” according to the IIO report. The recording of the 911 call is expected to be presented as evidence during the inquest. Recovering from painful surgery De Balinhard also testified about a medical condition she said was causing Chase significant pain in the months leading up to his death. She told jurors Chase underwent surgery on December 3, 2024, for a pilonidal cyst near his buttocks. According to his mother, the wound remained open during his recovery and required ongoing treatment. She described repeated medical appointments, wound packing and painful procedures. De Balinhard said the condition made sitting and walking difficult and could cause bleeding with movement. She testified that Chase had been particularly distressed in the week before his death because of his medical treatment and discomfort. His mother described how physical pain, anxiety, sensory sensitivities and frustration could compound one another, making it more difficult for Chase to regulate his emotions. Her account provides additional context about his reported physical condition at the time of the shooting. However, the IIO report describes an officer observing Chase fleeing at a “full run” approximately two minutes before the fatal shots were fired. The report also includes an account from a civilian witness who described Chase walking shortly before the shooting and briefly tripping and falling. De Balinhard’s testimony about his medical condition has not independently established how his injury affected his movements during the police encounter. Recounting Chase’s final day De Balinhard described the weekend before her son’s death as a happy one, with relatives visiting and Chase enjoying time with family. On Feb. 9, 2025, she recalled taking a family member to the airport before attending a Super Bowl gathering. Chase stayed home because he was uncomfortable sitting for extended periods while recovering from surgery. Later, she learned that police were responding to an incident near a neighbourhood school. After checking Chase’s phone location and seeing that it appeared to place him near the police response, she drove toward the area. Officers had blocked access to the neighbourhood. De Balinhard testified that she approached a female officer, explained that her 15-year-old autistic son might be in the area and provided his name. Through tears, she described sensing something was wrong and subsequently learning Chase had died. She also expressed frustration about the information the family received afterward and her inability to see her son and say goodbye.t. IIO finds police use of force justified In its December 2025 decision, the IIO concluded that the officers who responded to Chase were acting lawfully and that the use of lethal force was justified under the circumstances. The agency reviewed evidence including statements from 18 civilian witnesses and 10 witness police officers, police records, radio transmissions, the 911 call, surveillance recordings and forensic findings. According to the report, members of the RCMP Surrey Provincial Operations Support Unit and Surrey Police Service attempted to apprehend Chase over approximately 22 minutes as he moved through a school field, townhouse development and nearby residential streets. Witness officers told investigators Chase was carrying what appeared to be a handgun, which he pointed at officers several times and, at times, held against his own head. The report states officers repeatedly attempted to communicate with the teenager and ordered him to drop the weapon. The senior officer on scene told investigators that his initial plan was to establish dialogue and do his best to de-escalate the situation. However, he described difficulties maintaining visual contact and establishing containment as Chase moved through a populated residential area. The IIO also reported that officers considered less-lethal intervention options, but said the circumstances, distances involved and perceived firearm threat limited their ability to use them. At approximately 3:17 p.m., according to the IIO, Chase turned and pointed the revolver directly at nearby officers. Two officers discharged their firearms almost simultaneously. Chase was struck by a single bullet to the chest and died at the scene. The IIO concluded the officers had objectively reasonable grounds to fear death or grievous bodily harm. Chief civilian director Jessica Berglund determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe an officer may have committed an offence, and the matter was not referred to Crown counsel for consideration of charges. The officer who fired the fatal shot did not provide an account to IIO investigators. Subject officers are not required to provide evidence during an IIO investigation. Autism-specific training to be examined Although the IIO cleared officers of criminal wrongdoing, its investigation also examined their training. The watchdog found that none of the officers interviewed had received autism-specific instruction, with no evidence the officer who fired the fatal shot had received such training. Officers had received general crisis intervention and de-escalation training. The report acknowledged expert opinions that sensory overload may have affected Chase’s ability to engage with police, including the potential impact of uniforms, firearms and shouted commands. However, the IIO concluded that officers reasonably focused on the danger posed by what they believed was a real firearm, particularly as Chase repeatedly pointed it toward police in a residential neighbourhood. De Balinhard told jurors she hopes first responders will receive better training to recognize autism and communicate with people experiencing a crisis. She also questioned whether contacting parents or caregivers, or creating a voluntary registry with information about an individual’s needs and coping strategies, could help responders. Her testimony did not establish whether contacting a family member would have been feasible or changed the outcome. Speaking to reporters after Monday’s proceedings, the family’s lawyer, J.A. Pankiw-Petty, emphasized that the family wants improved communication training for 911 operators, mental-health nurses and police officers. “So the parents, Crystal and Rick, are hoping that something positive comes from something so tragic,” Pankiw-Petty said. The lawyer declined to draw conclusions about individual pieces of evidence, saying the family wanted to protect the integrity of the inquest and leave those assessments to the jury. Family calls for better autism-specific training Although the IIO cleared officers of criminal wrongdoing, its investigation also examined their training. The watchdog found that none of the officers interviewed had received autism-specific instruction, with no evidence the officer who fired the fatal shot had received such training. Officers had received general crisis intervention and de-escalation training. The report acknowledged expert opinions that sensory overload may have affected Chase’s ability to engage with police, including the potential impact of uniforms, firearms and shouted commands. However, the IIO concluded that officers reasonably focused on the danger posed by what they believed was a real firearm, particularly as Chase repeatedly pointed it toward police in a residential neighbourhood. De Balinhard told jurors she hopes first responders will receive better training to recognize autism and communicate with people experiencing a crisis. She also questioned whether contacting parents or caregivers, or creating a voluntary registry with information about an individual’s needs and coping strategies, could help responders. Her testimony did not establish whether contacting a family member would have been feasible or changed the outcome. Speaking to reporters after Monday’s proceedings, the family’s lawyer, J.A. Pankiw-Petty, emphasized that the family wants improved communication training for 911 operators, mental-health nurses and police officers. “So the parents, Crystal and Rick, are hoping that something positive comes from something so tragic,” Pankiw-Petty said. The lawyer declined to draw conclusions about individual pieces of evidence, saying the family wanted to protect the integrity of the inquest and leave those assessments to the jury. What happens next? The inquest is expected to hear testimony from Chase’s treating psychiatrist, a teacher, the police emergency call-taker and civilian witnesses. Police officers involved in the response, including the two officers who discharged their firearms, are also expected to testify about their observations, assessment of the risks, available alternatives and decisions to fire or not fire. A psychiatric nurse assigned to Car 67, the police mental-health outreach team, is expected to explain what medical information was available during the response. The jury will also hear from emergency medical personnel, a forensic pathologist and representatives of the Independent Investigations Office. Additional expert testimony is expected to address autism, police use of force, crisis intervention and de-escalation training, firearms regulations and current Surrey Police Service policies. Presiding coroner John Knox is overseeing the proceedings at Burnaby Coroners’ Court. The inquest is open to the public and is also being livestreamed through the B.C. Coroners Service website. The broader circumstances of Chase’s death and questions about autism-specific police training were previously explored in CTV News’ five-part investigative series, Lost in Translation: The Death of Chase de Balinhard.
