Canada - Regis Korchinski-Paquet, 29, dies from balcony fall, Toronto, 27 May 2020

[charminglane]

Are there no railings?
Someone would have to go up and over a balcony on the 24th floor.

 

[dotr]

If she was just messing about on the balcony and a seizure came on, she have lost her grip or her balance.

Are there no railings?
Someone would have to go up and over a balcony on the 24th floor.

Narcity

 

[astheworldfallsdown]

Narcity

The domestic incident was her having a seizure?

 

[dotr]

Family of woman who died in Toronto balcony fall want answers from police
''“Regis, God bless her soul, met the police at the elevator. They separated the family. Police and Regis (were) arguing,” he said. “They wouldn’t let the family enter the unit after (police) entering the unit. Then they come out of the unit. Lied to us to our face and said she climbed to the next unit. How can she climb to the next unit, when we already know she would not do that.”

He said there is wiring set up on some balconies of the building that prevents people from falling. He said she had been asking for that for her unit, but the property management never installed it.''

“Then they have to say they jumped. ‘We’re going to see if she’s in the next apartment building hiding from us.’ They probably threw her off at that time. Knock on the neighbour’s door, play their little game, going in there for five to 10 mins. and come out and tell the family she’s on the ground with no remorse.''

 

[astheworldfallsdown]

Family of woman who died in Toronto balcony fall want answers from police
''“Regis, God bless her soul, met the police at the elevator. They separated the family. Police and Regis (were) arguing,” he said. “They wouldn’t let the family enter the unit after (police) entering the unit. Then they come out of the unit. Lied to us to our face and said she climbed to the next unit. How can she climb to the next unit, when we already know she would not do that.”

He said there is wiring set up on some balconies of the building that prevents people from falling. He said she had been asking for that for her unit, but the property management never installed it.''

“Then they have to say they jumped. ‘We’re going to see if she’s in the next apartment building hiding from us.’ They probably threw her off at that time. Knock on the neighbour’s door, play their little game, going in there for five to 10 mins. and come out and tell the family she’s on the ground with no remorse.''

Police were called rather than an ambulance to someone having a seizure? She recovered from the seizure to meet the police at the elevator, they sent her family away and started arguing with her? No one actually saw what happened on the balcony yet her family claim they know what happened? This is all very bizarre.
JMO

 

[Wowno17]

Do the police there not have body cameras turned on all the time? That would help clear this matter up. Unless there is footage I can't see how it can be proven either way.

MOO

I wish all police everywhere used cameras when dealing with incidents. Would help in so many ways.

 

[Wowno17]

Police were called rather than an ambulance to someone having a seizure? She recovered from the seizure to meet the police at the elevator, they sent her family away and started arguing with her? No one actually saw what happened on the balcony yet her family claim they know what happened? This is all very bizarre.
JMO

BBM

Maybe it's because the family are absolutely adamant that she wouldn't commit suicide because that's what they believe so they are pushing that narrative? They talked about her being a Christian.

Maybe she tried to get away from the police and climbed and fell accidentally.

This is a strange one.

MOO

 

[astheworldfallsdown]

BBM

Maybe it's because the family are absolutely adamant that she wouldn't commit suicide because that's what they believe so they are pushing that narrative? They talked about her being a Christian.

Maybe she tried to get away from the police and climbed and fell accidentally.

This is a strange one.

MOO

I understand why they believe she would never commit suicide, just not sure why they're so convinced she was pushed rather than fell accidentally trying to climb to the next balcony. I hope there's some sort of footage somewhere that can help find out what happened. It's so awful for her poor family.
JMO

 

[Wowno17]

I understand why they believe she would never commit suicide, just not sure why they're so convinced she was pushed rather than fell accidentally trying to climb to the next balcony. I hope there's some sort of footage somewhere that can help find out what happened. It's so awful for her poor family.
JMO

I agree it's awful

The family mentioned the police going into the neighbours flat and coming out saying she'd fell. So surely there is a neighbour who was a witness?

https://torontosun.com/news/local-news/siu-probing-death-of-woman-from-toronto-balcony

 

[dotr]

rbbm.
Family Alleges Toronto Police Responsible For Black Woman’s Fatal Fall
''In a press conference Thursday, Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders said the force is cooperating with the SIU but legally can’t comment publicly on the case.

“I’ll urge the public to please wait for the facts to come out,” he said.

Saunders said he is concerned about the spread of “misinformation,” in the absence of a detailed statement from police.

He said police were called to the scene for an assault.

“It sounded rather frantic. There was a need for police presence to be there,” he said.''


''The SIU said witnesses can call 1-800-787-8529 and that a post-mortem will be conducted Thursday afternoon.

In a since-deleted video, Korchinski-Paquet’s cousin said Korchinski-Paquet’s mother called police to de-escalate an argument at the apartment.''

 

[astheworldfallsdown]

rbbm.
Family Alleges Toronto Police Responsible For Black Woman’s Fatal Fall
''In a press conference Thursday, Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders said the force is cooperating with the SIU but legally can’t comment publicly on the case.

“I’ll urge the public to please wait for the facts to come out,” he said.

Saunders said he is concerned about the spread of “misinformation,” in the absence of a detailed statement from police.

He said police were called to the scene for an assault.

“It sounded rather frantic. There was a need for police presence to be there,” he said.''


''The SIU said witnesses can call 1-800-787-8529 and that a post-mortem will be conducted Thursday afternoon.

In a since-deleted video, Korchinski-Paquet’s cousin said Korchinski-Paquet’s mother called police to de-escalate an argument at the apartment.''

That's a very sad situation. Should have been a 'police cooled things down and everyone was friends again' scenario but instead a very tragic outcome. I feel very very sorry for her poor mother
JMO

 

[dotr]

Slightly different account of events..

 

[LadyL]

I understand why they believe she would never commit suicide, just not sure why they're so convinced she was pushed rather than fell accidentally trying to climb to the next balcony. I hope there's some sort of footage somewhere that can help find out what happened. It's so awful for her poor family.

JMO

[bbm]

that sounds about right
none of them saw it but they're all accusing the police of pushing her
sounds like they have an agenda
yep, I'd be suing every one of the accusers

 

[dotr]

Another, slightly different account of events..

 

[dotr]

‘Unfounded allegations’: Toronto police union comments after woman’s fatal fall from balcony
May 29 2020 rbbm.
''The Toronto Police Association (TPA) has commented on allegations surrounding the death of a 29-year-old Black woman who died after falling off of a balcony earlier this week''.

''The exact circumstances surrounding Korchinski-Paquet’s death remain unclear, but many people, including those outside of the victim’s family, are alleging she was pushed off the balcony by police officers.
The TPA released a statement on the incident Friday calling the allegations “unfounded.”
“Due process to determine what transpired is of utmost importance,” the statement read.

“Unfounded allegations that police officers pushed a woman to her death from a balcony, in the absence of evidence or fact, perpetuate a false narrative that the police are the enemy … Where there is a lack of information, people may fill in the gaps and create a false narrative.”

The statement said the TPA supports a full SIU investigation into the incident but is asking people to “refrain from a rush to judgement.”

“We are deeply disturbed by this and disappointed that some of Toronto’s elected city councillors choose to participate in the discussion during an active SIU investigation,” the statement read.''

Police board asks SIU to provide regular updates on probe of woman's deadly fall from High Park balcony
''Relatives have said that 29-year-old Regis Korchinski-Paquet was in the midst of a mental health crisis and that they called police to the apartment building near Bloor Street and High Park Avenue in order to get her help.

Police, meanwhile, have said that they were called to the building for an assault call and not a person in distress.''

 

[borndem]

Ontario’s police watchdog probing family’s claims that Toronto woman pushed off balcony
''Ontario’s police watchdog says it is aware of the allegations being made online about Toronto police and the circumstances surrounding a 29-year-old woman falling to her death from an apartment building balcony.

Police have not identified the woman, however, neighbours identified her to Global News as Regis Korchinski-Paquet.''

''A memorial has been setup at the apartment building, located at 100 High Park Avenue. A “RIP. Rest In Power” sign along with multiple bouquets of flowers have been placed at the scene.''

A growing memorial has been setup at the site of the incident in the city’s west end.
''Shortly after the incident, videos began to circulate online from people who said they are Korchinski-Paquet’s family, alleging that police pushed her off the balcony.

''In a number of videos posted to social media from user @rocaworld, who says he is Korchinski-Paquet’s cousin, appears to be at the scene of the incident and alleges police “threw my female cousin off the building.”

Last night, I wrote a post on here, talking about what appeared to me as 'missing info.' No one else there except LE. Then a woman goes over the balcony. Still no one but LE and the woman on the scene, unless someone had pushed her over and ran out, hid somewhere or flew away. But I read it over and deleted it.

And today, still puzzled.

Based on what little I've seen and read, it's too "foggy" to understand thus far.
This is a sad one, IMO.
There's got to be more to this story -- we need a few more details...

 

[Snoopster]

I don't think we can possibly know what happened. Clearly the young woman was in distress mentally, which was why the family called 911. It is not inconceivable that she went over the railing of her own accord. And, of course I can't 100% preclude that LE didn't do something.

I'm just not feeling the LE as murderers in this situation, although I know I can be wrong. When someone is mentally distraught...they are always at risk of self-harm. If they don't have a weapon, and they are female (and hence less risk of overpowering LE), then what would LE gain by throwing her over the balcony? I'm just not getting it (despite the racial mistreatment that we've all been reading about recently).

 

[dotr]

Woman alone on High Park balcony when she fell to her death: Sources
''Troubled Regis Korchinski-Paquet plunged to her death while trying to vault to a neighbouring balcony at her High Park highrise on Wednesday, sources tell the Toronto Sun.

An independent witness claims the 29-year-old was alone on the balcony before her deadly fall — a statement that contradicts the accusation made in the aftermath by a relative who claimed police officers “threw my cousin off the building.”

''Sources claim officers responded to an assault call around 5:15 p.m. on the 29th floor of the apartment building on High Park Ave., north of Bloor St. W., involving Korchinski-Paquet as the aggressor in a dispute with a sibling.''

''One senior officer and several junior cops brought Korchinski-Paquet and her sibling into the apartment hallway to defuse the dispute over the use of the TV.''

Instead of going to the bathroom, the woman rushed to the balcony, sources allege, claiming Korchinski-Paquet then prevented officers from accessing the balcony.''

“It appears she slipped while trying to scale one balcony to another,” a police source said. “She was trying to get away.”

 

[dotr]

Family of Regis Korchinski-Paquet ask those attending rally against anti-black racism to remain peaceful
''Hundreds of people have already gathered at Christie Pitts Park for the rally, which is being organized by a group called ‘Not Another Black Life.’

In a series of messages posted to Twitter on Saturday, the group said that it is holding the event “for Regis” and “for every known and unknown black and indigenous life lost to police brutality and white supremacy.”

It should be noted that Korchinski-Paquet’s death is still being investigated by the Special Investigations Unit and that few details are actually known about what happened inside the High Park apartment prior to her death.

Korchinski-Paquet’s family has said that they called police to help her get through a mental health crisis, though Police Chief Mark Saunders has said that the actual call was for an assault.''

 

[dotr]

June 1 2020
SIU secures video from Regis Korchinski-Paquet’s building, family interviews pending
''The province’s Special Investigations Unit says it has viewed and saved surveillance camera footage from the building where 29-year-old Regis Korchinski-Paquet fell to her death in High Park last week.''

''On Saturday, thousands marched through Toronto demanding justice for Korchinski-Paquet, a gymnast who often volunteered at her church.

On Monday the SIU said that apart from the video footage and interviews with the six officers who attended her apartment, they’ve also completed four interviews with civilian witnesses.

They also plan to speak to Korchinski-Paquet’s mother and brother sometime this week.''

“While the investigation is ongoing, the details of the interviews and the video footage will not be released in an effort to ensure the memories of other potential witnesses are not tainted,” the release read.''