Second-degree murder charges have been laid against a police officer in the 2012 fatal shooting at Starlight Casino.
The Criminal Justice Branch announced Monday Const. Jordan MacWilliams had been charged with second-degree murder.
MacWilliams is a Delta police officer and was part of the emergency response team on Nov. 8, 2012, when 48-year-old Mehrdad Bayrami was shot following a five-hour standoff with police.
The charges come more than one year after Richard Rosenthal, chief civilian director for the Independent Investigations Office, submitted his report to Crown counsel. While the report was never released to the public, it is a requirement when the chief civilian director believes an officer may have committed an offence.
Bayrami was engaged in a standoff with police after shots were reported earlier that morning outside the casino. He was shot by police at about 10:45 a.m. and later died in hospital.
MacWilliams, who was officially charged Monday morning, is currently on paid administrative leave. He has served with the Delta police department for more than five years.
In a public letter, Delta Chief Const. Jim Cessford wrote that he would not be commenting further on the matter because the investigation was an independent one and is now before the courts.
“This is a difficult situation and my thoughts are with Jordan (MacWilliams) and his family. While we have no control over the process or its outcome, we do have the ability to support Jordan, as his friends and colleagues, while he faces these challenging times,” Cessford wrote.
In the letter, Cessford wrote that police officers are granted a high-level of power as part of their roles in society and that at one time or another could be “called upon to make instantaneous, life-or-death decisions.”
“These decisions will be the subject of intense examination by governing bodies, who will hold us accountable to our actions for years thereafter,” he wrote.“With our powers, we must also accept scrutiny.”
MacWilliams was released on bail and is scheduled to appear in B.C. Supreme Court in New Westminster in December.
– With files from Tom Zytaruk, Surrey NOW
