A Canadian community is in shock after police officers shot and killed a 15-year-old autistic boy with the mental capacity of a 10-year-old. Chase de Balinhard, who lived in Surrey, British Columbia, went for a walk around his neighborhood on February 9 while his parents watched the Super Bowl. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police received a call around 2:40 p.m. reporting a person with a weapon at a school. A neighbor’s surveillance camera captured what happened next.
The footage showed Chase limping past a patrol vehicle with what his parents say was a pellet gun pointed to his head. His father, Rick, described how Chase was walking slowly, not running, and not showing any aggression. He was then confronted by heavily armed officers, who tried to negotiate with him. One officer ordered Chase to drop the weapon and warned, “You don’t want to do this.” At this point, the footage shows Chase raising his arm and pointing the object at the officers. He then ducked behind a bush, and officers took cover behind a patrol vehicle. Moments later, two shots were fired as officers rushed toward him.
Chase’s parents argue that he was not suicidal but was likely scared, confused, and disoriented. They believe that being autistic, Chase couldn’t process the situation and was simply walking away from the noise. His parents also think he was trying to record a funny video on his phone and didn’t have the mental capacity to understand how his behavior might alarm people.
Chase had a number of medical challenges, including XXY Syndrome, which led to muscle weakness, delayed speech, and other developmental issues. He also struggled with autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. His teacher, Christine Horton, who delivered a eulogy at his funeral, explained that Chase had difficulty processing commands and was triggered by loud, aggressive actions. However, she also described him as a vibrant, kind-hearted boy with a desire to make a difference in the world, mentioning his past fundraising efforts for BC Children’s Hospital.
On the day of the shooting, Chase’s parents had left him at home after he had recovered from surgery. Crystal, his mother, received a text about shots being fired near a school, which led her to become concerned. After trying unsuccessfully to reach Chase, she used the “Find Your iPhone” app to track his phone to the scene of the incident. Upon arriving, she was informed that her son had been shot and killed by an officer. The British Columbia police watchdog has since announced it will investigate the incident.
The de Balinhard family has raised questions about police training for dealing with neurodiverse individuals. They wonder why officers had to shoot to kill when they were so close to Chase and why they didn’t use a Taser. Public officials, including Elenore Sturko, have called for a review of police practices and communication training, particularly for interactions with individuals on the autism spectrum. The aim is to ensure that incidents like this do not happen again.
