Inquest into police shooting of Beau Baker set for February 2019

The Ontario coroner's office says an inquest into the police shooting death of Beau Baker in Kitchener in 2015 will begin next February.

A spokesperson for the coroner said it will begin in February 2019, although did not provide specific dates.

Baker, 20, died after he was shot seven times by a Waterloo Regional Police officer on April 2, 2015.

Police said the officer shot Baker out of concern for public safety.

Ontario's Special Investigation unit said Baker had made a number of threats over the phone earlier in the evening and was holding a knife while standing outside a townhouse at 77 Brybeck Cres. in Kitchener when confronted by police.

The SIU found the officer was legally justified in his actions.

An inquest into Baker's death was called in August 2016, but earlier this year, the coroner's office said there were a number of delays in setting a date, including collecting expert reports.

• Coroner calls inquest into police shooting death of Beau Baker
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Michael Blain, counsel with the office of the Chief Coroner, told CBC K-W in April ithad to wait for those reports before itcould set a date.

"Some do take more time than others. This is such a case that has taken perhaps a little more time than certainly anybody had hoped, but we do hope to proceed with the inquest in the relatively near future," Blain said.

• Beau Baker's family releases statement about son's shooting death

Baker's mother, Jackie Baker, has criticized the coroner's office for taking too long to do the inquest.