The coroner investigating the shooting death of Fredy Villanueva might open the door to the issue of racial profiling by Montreal police.
Villanueva, 18, was shot by a Montreal police officer in Montreal North last August following an altercation in a park between the police and several teenagers. The incident sparked a racially-charged riot in the area.
The coroner suggested racial profiling had occurred after a lawyer for one of the victims asked police officer Stephanie Pilotte if her botched arrest of Villanueva's elder brother, Dany, was motivated by an internal directive asking police to keep the heat on street-gang members and their entourage.
Pilotte is the partner of Jean-Loup Lapointe, the officer who fired the fatal shot at Villanueva.
Police claim they wanted to arrest the elder Villanueva for illegal gambling in a city park, but the force is objecting to the line of questioning because it might reveal confidential investigation techniques.
The inquest was suspended this afternoon due to the large scope of the inquest, and is expected to resume on Feb. 3.
The inquest is being broken up into several stints a few weeks at time because of the litany of lawyers and witnesses.
Jean-Loup Lapointe is expected to take the stand on Feb. 3
