Inquest into fatal shooting of Tony Divers hears dramatic 911 call from night he died

"He looks nuts. He's really dangerous. I don't know if he's armed."

Those words were spoken by Madeleine Peternel during a dramatic 911 call placed moments after her husband Tony Divers showed up at her work and hit her in the face on the night of Sept. 30, 2016.

A short time later Divers would be dead, shotby a police officer.

The 911 call was played during the first day of a coroner's inquest examining what led up tothe 36-year-old's death. But recordings are all the inquest is likely to hear from Peternelas the jury was told despite repeated efforts by the coroner investigators to get in contact with her she had refused to participate.

During the call Peternal tells the dispatcher twice that she didn't know if Divers was armed.

The inquest also heard a statement Peternal gave just a day and a half later toinvestigators from the province's police watch dog where she reported tellinga police officer she spoke with that night that Divers did not have a weapon.

The lawyerrepresenting Divers's family said it was unfortunate Peternel wasn't present to face questions about inconsistencies in some of her statements. Presiding Coroner John Carlisle also noted that her absence limited the inquest's ability to question her.

A security video from the night of the shootingnight was played for the jury.It showed Divers wearing baggy whitetrack pants and a dark-coloured jacket approach Peternelwho's wearing a white jacket with the word "security" on the back.

He seems to swayas he walks up the sidewalk, thenthe two appear to argue before he suddenly swings, striking her on the left cheek before limping off.

"I was getting upset and he punched me in the face," she explained to the SIU, adding she confronted Divers because there was a "no contact" order between them.

Then-wife said Divers seen with 'toygun' earlier that day

She says he looked sick.

"His skin was like grey," she said during the interview, commenting several times on how skinny he appeared and the fact that the only sounds he appeared to be able to make were mumbled words.

"I know he was definitely on crystal meth and had been smoking fentanyl."

The inquest heard blood tests after Divers's death showed evidence of methamphetamine and THC.

Peternel told the SIU she had seen Divers around 10 a.m. that same day with a plastic "toy gun" tucked in his waistband, but insisted several times that she told the officer who came to take her statement that she did not see any weaponswhen he approached her outside the bar.

"[The officer] called it in that he possibly was armed and I specifically told her 'No, no he's not armed,'" she said, going on to explain that she believes if Divers was armed he would not have hit her.

"I'm going to go with the fact that he would have used the weapon on me for sure."

Peternal added when she saw Divers earlier that day he was upset, and repeatedly struck himself in the face, so she dropped him off.

"He said his goal was to be shot and killed ... he's sick," she to the the SIU, explaining what she claimedto have told the officer that night."He said, like, 'Tonight if nobodyhelps me I'm just going to go out and ... hopefully someone shoots and kills me.'He was hearing voices. He just wanted to die."

Peternel said while she was standing with the officer she suddenly heard someone shout "shots fired" over the policeradio and that she started freaking out.

The SIU cleared the officer who shot Divers of any criminal wrongdoing in 2017.

In its decision, the SIU said officers responding to the call were told Divers had assaulted a woman, was armed, high on drugs, had a violent history and was considered "anti-police."

In refusing to participate in the inquest, the jury heard that Peterneldid not want to take part out of fear for her safety and that of her children based on comments made by Divers's family members and because she was banned from the courthouse.

Outside the courthouse, Roy Wellington,the lawyer representing Divers's family, said he believes Peternel's statement that she may have been threatened has "no foundation."

He added he's not surprised she didn't agree to appear as a witness, but it's still unfortunate.

"This would have been an opportunity for the family to ask some questions about the numerous inconsistencies in her statements."

Gary Clewley, the lawyer working with the police officers involved in the incident said he also has concerns about the information Peternel provided inthe recordings.

"I think the best thing to do would be to hear from the officer who took that statement," he explained.

Divers planned to 'start a new life' in B.C.

The first day of the inquest also heard from Yvonne Alexander, Divers's sister, who described him as someone for whom "family was everything."

Alexander said her brother never ended a phone conversation without telling his family he loved them, adding hewas always trying to make otherslaugh.

"Anthony gave the warmest hugs ever," she said, holding a black and white portrait of Divers taken a few months before his death. "What I wouldn't dofor one of those hugs today."

She said Divers was passionate about body building and wanted to become a personal trainer, but he was bullied in his teens and fell in with a bad crowd.

He was incarcerated for manslaughter, but Alexander said he was very close with their parents, who visited him "faithfully" in prison.

In 2007 and 2008 their parents passed away just 36 days apart.

"He thought their early demise was his fault as they were broken up over their son's incarceration," she told the jury.

Divers said the family tried to tell him he wasn't to blame, but his mental health continued to suffer after his release and he also struggled with drug use.

"He spoke of ending his life to be with his parents," Alexandersaid, adding she's aware of him trying to take his own life at least once and that family members broughthim to hospital numerous times.

His last discharge was Sept. 24, 2016 just six days before the shooting.

Alexander said she believes her brother was often not well when he left the hospital, sometimes signinghimself out against medical advice.

Part of a medical document dated August 26, 2016, whichwas entered as an exhibit in the inquest statessince being released from prison Divers reports "wanting to end his life and end his suffering" daily.

Despite his struggle, Alexander said Divers had spoken with his probation officer and made arrangementsto head to B.C. on Oct. 5 to "start a new life."

Yvonne Hamilton, Divers's first wife, also took the witness stand, describing him as an "amazing person."

She told the inquestDivers started doing drugs more often in prison after his parents died, but she eventually gave him an ultimatum to quite using drugs and when he couldn't she ended the relationship.

'Two shots were fired and it was over'

In the afternoon the inquestheard from DanielWalker, and HSR employee who witnessed the fatal shooting.

He said that on the night of the shooting a police cruiser without its emergency lights going pulled in front of the bus he was riding on to block it in near the corner of James Street South and Bold Street.

Walker said when he walked around the bus he saw the officerbraced, with his gun drawn, pointing it at Divers who was 15 to 20 feet away.

"He just kept telling the guy 'Show me your hands, show me your hands' You couldn't help but hear it," said Walker."The whole street could hear it."

Walker said Divers had one hand behind his back and was swaying from side to side when he made a move toward the officer who pulled the trigger.

"Two shots were fired and it was over."

Outside court Wellington said it means a lot to the Divers family to have an opportunity to learn more about what lead up to their loved one's death.

"The family is thankful that this process is taking place," he explained. "We're hopeful we'll able to ... make jury recommendations that are made to the police service so we can avoid deaths like this in the future."

The inquest continues Tuesday.