Public hearing opens into 2015 death of Myles Gray following Vancouver police altercation

A public hearing examining the 2015 death of Myles Gray during an encounter with Vancouver police begins today in Vancouver. The hearing, conducted by the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner, is expected to continue for 10 weeks and will investigate the circumstances surrounding Gray’s fatal injuries following a confrontation with multiple officers in Burnaby, B.C.

The hearing was requested by Gray’s family after a discipline authority cleared all seven officers involved of misconduct in 2024. Margaret Gray, the mother of the 26-year-old, is scheduled to be the first witness. She has said she hopes the process will uncover the full truth about her son’s death and explain why “accountability failed,” noting that none of the officers faced criminal charges.

Myles Gray suffered severe injuries, including ruptured testicles and fractures to his eye socket, nose, voice box, and ribs. His death prompted a coroner’s inquest in 2023, which ruled the incident a homicide.

Brian Smith, general counsel for the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner, told reporters last week that it remains uncertain whether any of the seven officers will testify, as they cannot be compelled to appear. The adjudicator for the hearing is retired B.C. Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Arnold-Bailey.

The case has drawn attention in B.C. and across Canada, highlighting ongoing concerns about police accountability and public trust in investigations of fatal police encounters.