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WARNING: This story mentions threats of suicide.
The mother of a 15-year-old autistic boy who was fatally shot by an RCMP officer in Surrey last year says her son’s death has “broken” her.
Crystal de Balinhard was testifying at the B.C. Coroners Service inquest into the death of Chase de Balinhard, who died on a Surrey street corner during a confrontation with police. Chase was carrying a pellet gun that, at the time, police believed was a handgun.
De Balinhard said Chase lived with multiple challenges, including XYY syndrome, autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety disorder and intellectual disability.
De Balinhard said on Feb. 9, 2025, she drove a niece to the airport before stopping at a pub to meet her husband at a multi-family Super Bowl party on her way home.
Chase had opted out of the party to stay home, saying he was tired.
De Balinhard said at the pub she received texts from two friends asking if she knew what was happening at the school near their home. One of the friends said there may be a school shooter.
De Balinhard became worried that Chase may have left the house to video the incident.
“He’d do these videos pretending that he was a YouTuber, but they were just for us,” said de Balinhard.
The IIO published this image of the pellet gun Chase de Balinhard was carrying when he was shot and killed by police. (IIO B.C.)
She said she checked Chase’s location on an app and it showed two addresses near a corner. When she tried to drive to where his phone was pinging, the roads were blocked off.
“So I started walking but a nice lady officer said, ‘You can’t go there.’ I said my 15-year-old autistic boy’s phone is pinging up there. You could see the reaction on her face,” said an emotional de Balinhard. “[The officer] said why don’t you go sit in your car.”
De Balinhard said she and her husband were prevented from getting close to Chase’s body.
“We tried to get by police but they held us back,” she said. “I just wanted to see him. I wanted to say goodbye.”
Police responded to the Clayton Heights neighbourhood after Chase called 911 saying he was armed with a gun and threatening to harm himself.
According to a report by the Independent Investigations Office of B.C. (IIO), police attempted to apprehend the boy for 22 minutes. The report says Chase pointed what appeared to be a handgun at himself and police several times before two officers shot at him. The Grade 10 student was hit by a single bullet.
The gun was later discovered to be a pellet gun Chase had taken from the family home. De Balinhard said the pellet gun was kept locked in a location that she wasn’t aware he had access to.
Chase de Balinhard, 15, was fatally shot by police in Surrey, B.C., on Feb. 9, 2025. (GoFundMe.ca)
De Balinhard said Chase could become dysregulated or upset if overstimulated by things like loud noises or people yelling at him.
“He didn’t respond well,” she said. “He told me loud noises hurt his body. It made him want to flee.”
She also said in addition to his normal triggers, he was dealing with the aftermath of surgery on a painful cyst on his buttocks that wasn’t healing.
She said the morning of his death, Chase was in good spirits after a pancake breakfast with his cousin and grandmother.
“It was the first time he cut his food with a fork and knife by himself and he was so happy,” she said.
The site of the fatal police shooting, near 185 Street and 70 Avenue in Surrey, is photographed on Monday, Feb. 10, 2025 — one day after the incident. (Ben Nelms/CBC)
De Balinhard said she’d like to see first responders receive better training around dealing with people with autism.
“I wish officers could learn some of the signs,” she said. “With autistics, when everything goes sideways for them they can’t communicate. Why not give people the tools to do their job better?”
De Balinhard testified that Chase was a sweet, kind boy who loved Terry Fox, superheroes and playing jokes on his family. He loved his cat Ava and learned to paddle a kayak. She said his superpowers were identifying anything to do with the Titanic and mastering arcade claw machines.
“He would win all the time and would usually give his prizes away,” she said. “He had a big heart.”
De Balinhard said Chase did well in elementary school with the extra support provided, but once he moved to high school the support dropped off. She said in his Grade 10 year, despite the school receiving funding to help him, he received no support and had stopped attending altogether.
“Surrey started this thing where funding goes into a big pool and it wasn’t going to him,” said de Balinhard. “He regressed.”
Dr. Patricia Frew, a psychiatrist who worked with Chase, said the teen had developed chronic suicidal thoughts, although not to the extent that he needed to be apprehended under the Mental Health Act.
A coroner’s inquest is a public process involving a jury that does not find fault. At its conclusion, the jury and presiding coroner can make recommendations to prevent similar deaths.
If you or someone you know is struggling, here’s where to look for help:
If you’re worried someone you know may be at risk of suicide, you should talk to them about it, says the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention. Here are some warning signs:
- Suicidal thoughts.
- Substance use.
- Purposelessness.
- Anxiety.
- Feeling trapped.
- Hopelessness and helplessness.
- Withdrawal.
- Anger.
- Recklessness.
- Mood changes.
