Even with hindsight, a ranking officer says police would initiate the same operation to apprehend a man who carjacked a Penticton senior and was killed while being apprehended at a Nanaimo ferry terminal.

The B.C. Coroners Service is in the midst of an inquest probing the death of Jer Wood, 39, who was killed during a police incident at Departure Bay ferry terminal on May 8, 2018. Sgt. Paul Minkley, Vancouver Island Emergency Response Team commander, took the stand on Wednesday, Nov. 13, detailing the events that led to Wood's death. 

In testimony yesterday, it was revealed that Wood had shot a drug dealer in the Okanagan, and that police reports from Penticton told Nanaimo law enforcement Wood had failed at a carjacking attempt before taking a Pontiac hatchback from an elderly woman, after choking and assaulting her.

Minkley said the team that day was comprised of members and plainclothes officers. They employed a tactical vehicle takeout, where three unmarked vehicles block a suspect vehicle in front, side and rear. Ideally, the front car abruptly stops and rear vehicle contacts the suspect vehicle's bumper, essentially pinning the car in. 

In the Wood incident, police intercepted the Pontiac as it was disembarking the ferry at the terminal. Wood was able to veer the caar to the right, although Minkley didn't believe Wood realized they were police. 

A flashbang grenade was deployed and while the Pontiac tried to veer to the left, there was contact with police vehicles and the suspect vehicle became stationary, facing law enforcement.

Minkley testified he had sight of the driver-side window of the Pontiac and saw the driver raising, what looked like a pistol with a long barrel. Minkley thought the gun was pointed at other members and the ERT leader said he was preparing to shoot at the driver to prevent him from shooting anyone else.

However, Wood then pointed the gun to the side of his own head, according to Minkley said, and he saw an exit wound out of the left side of the suspect's head and then the man slumped. As he was processing the situation, Minkley said he heard shots coming from his left, into the windshield of the Pontiac. 

Minkley ordered members to stop shooting and police approached the vehicle. They undid the seatbelt and removed the suspect from the vehicle and performed first aid. When asked about whether the reports of the suspect having a firearm affected police strategy, Minkley testified that was a big risk factor, and a reason why the takedown was initiated near the ferry ramp.

Wood had been suffering depression and didn't plan on being arrested, according to previous testimony. That information had not been relayed to Nanaimo police, according to Minkley.

"With that knowledge, and the previous knowledge of what had happened in Penticton, we still would have endeavoured to stop him, arrest him and we would have done it in this manner, so that situation would have unfolded, whether we had that information or not," Minkley said.

The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. absolved police of any wrongdoing in Wood's death in the months subsequent to the incident.

The inquest is being presided over by Larry Marzinzik, coroner, and a jury. Steve Liu is serving as inquest counsel, while David Kwan and Graham Hallson are counsel for Attorney General of Canada, attending on behalf of the RCMP.

The inquest began Tuesday, Nov. 12 and is scheduled to conclude on Monday, Nov. 18.