Chantel Moore's mother testifies on Day 1 of inquest into police shooting death
CBC
Chantel Moore's mother testified at her inquest Monday, providing a glowing description of her daughter, pleasant memories of their final visit together and a tortured account of two visits by Edmundston police officers in the early morning hours of June 4, 2020.
Moore, of Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation in British Columbia, was 26 when she was fatally shot that morning outside her apartment on Canada Road in Edmundston by an officer who'd been dispatched to check on her well-being.
On the first day of the inquest in Fredericton, Moore's mother, Martha Martin, said police first "banged" on her door around 2:30 a.m.
It was Const. Jeremy Son, who informed her that police were concerned about Moore's safety and wanted to know where to find her apartment in the northwestern New Brunswick city.
"They thought somebody was stalking her or something," Martin said.
After the officer left, Martin said, she sent her daughter a couple of messages but didn't get any response. She asked her partner if he could stop by to see if everything was OK. But he was working and wasn't able to.
The second visit by police was announced with a knock at precisely 4:19 a.m., said Martin. Two other officers informed her that Moore had been shot and killed.
Martin's emotional testimony was halted several times so she could catch her breath and regain composure.
Martin described her daughter as a very outgoing lover of life and family — including a then six-year-old daughter who was her "pride and joy."
She also loved music, said Martin. She played piano and she was able to "light up" a room.
Before Edmundston, Moore lived in Port Alberni, B.C., she said. She went back there when she was sick, but came back to Edmundston and was starting over.
She wanted to better herself, said Martin, and talked about going to school to become an engineer.
Martin said the evening before her daughter died, Moore had stopped by her place to pick up a 12-pack of Coors Lite and a "mickey" of spiced rum. She was having a friend over to her new apartment as a housewarming celebration.
"She was ecstatic," said Martin, because she finally had the place set up the way she wanted, with furniture, appliances and internet.