Times The Langley
Planting Ideas page 6
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Officer who fired fatal shot testifies at Wright inquest Sgt. Don Davidson tells how ‘simple’ file quickly turned to lethal force MONIQUE TAMMINGA Times Reporter
The Langley RCMP officer who shot and killed Alvin Wright in his Langley City bedroom on Aug. 6, 2010 took the stand at a coroner’s inquest on Wednesday morning to give his version of the events of that night. During his testimony, Sgt. Don Davidson told the inquest that he went upstairs to where Wright was thought to be sleeping, so he could “talk to buddy” about letting his girlfriend get her stuff out, when this “simple” file turned lethal. “I flick on the lights and I don’t see him. Part of my training is to clear a room. “I look at the closet and I see someone’s head,” Davidson told the inquiry. “I see something metallic and I think, ‘Holy shit.’ I hit the closet doors to knock him back to give me some time. “He’s got a knife in one hand and a hatchet in the other,” said Davidson. “My mind is thinking “simple” file, and you’ve gone from police presence to lethal force that quick. If you don’t have your firearm out at that point, you’re stupid,” he said. Davidson testified that he told
Wright: “Drop the knife. We don’t want to shoot you.” Wright replied: “Shoot me,” said Davidson. The senior officer said that he has been in these situations before and he was trying to talk to Wright, to deescalate the situation. “He has to Sgt. Don surrender or Davidson I am f***ed,” Davidson said. “He’s staring at me. I’m thinking, ‘Holy shit.’ “I didn’t see the hatchet anymore. “He’s coming out of the closet with the knife.” Davidson testified that he was backed up against the bed and a chair, saying, “I can’t go anywhere but towards him.” Davidson said he was within arm’s reach of Wright, and the officers in the room were all yelling, “Drop the knife,” when Wright advanced. “I fired one round to the midsection. He looked me in the face and said, ‘I wasn’t going to stab you, dude,’ and he fell over,” Davidson said. Over the next hour or so, firefighters and paramedics attempted to revive Wright, but he had already gone into cardiac arrest and had massive internal bleeding. continued, PAGE 4
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TIME TO PLAY
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Langley Meadows Elementary Grade 7 student Josh Kungl speaks during Tuesday’s dedication of a new playground at the school. Principal Lucy Lenko, rear, expressed her gratitude to the community for making the project happen. See story, page 20.
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