‘More than just a headline:’ Winnipeg family seeks public inquiry into police death

WINNIPEG – First Nations leadership and the family of a First Nations girl fatally shot by Winnipeg police are renewing calls for a public inquiry into police-related deaths of Indigenous people.

Eishia Hudson was shot on April 8, 2020, after police responded to reports of a liquor store robbery and chased a stolen Jeep. Police have said the stolen vehicle “rammed” into a police cruiser and hit other cars during the pursuit before shots were fired. 

An inquest into the 16-year-old’s death, which concluded on Friday, heard an officer fired two shots at Eishia because he believed the lives of fellow officers were in danger. 

William Hudson, Eishia’s father, is pushing for the province to call a public inquiry to examine the broader issue of police-related deaths and how Manitoba investigates them.

“What I hope to come out of this is my daughter’s name to be more than just a headline,” he told reporters on Tuesday.  “I want her name to make change, systemic changes, within the systems that I believe are broken.”

Eishia was one of three First Nations people killed in a 10-day period in Winnipeg. The teen’s death sparked protests and calls for a public inquiry after Manitoba’s police watchdog did not recommend charges against the officer who shot Eishia, Const. Kyle Pradinuk. 

The Independent Investigation Unit said in a 2021 report that after police stopped and approached the Jeep, Pradinuk fired believing the vehicle was trying to get away and harm police. 

The inquest heard from use-of-force expert Chris Butler who testified that Pradinuk was following police protocol and training. 

Cellphone video evidence taken from a witness was presented during the inquest. It appeared to show the Jeep was backing away from officers during the encounter.

Butler said he didn’t use the video in his analysis because he was worried it could have been altered or corrupted. 

Another policing expert told the inquest he believed Pradinuk’s actions were not reasonable and consistent with training policies. 

Hudson suggested the public inquiry also examine how the Independent Investigation Unit probes police-involved deaths. 

He said he had concerns about the limitations of the investigation, citing the exclusion of the cellphone video and the absence of a forensic collision reconstruction in the watchdog’s conclusion. 

Hudson is advocating for body-worn cameras for all police officers so that video evidence can be obtained. Winnipeg police have implemented a pilot program equipping 40 officers with body-worn cameras. Manitoba RCMP have said nearly all of its officers are wearing them. 

The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs supported the Hudson family’s calls and advocated for more Indigenous involvement in the police watchdog’s office.  “What we can do next is to determine whether meaningful change will actually come from what … happened with Eishia,” Grand Chief Kyra Wilson said.

The First Nations Family Advocate Office, set up by the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, has surveyed 175 First Nations youth on their experiences with child welfare, policing and justice systems. 

It found that nearly 25 per cent of the participants believed little could be changed to improve the situations within these systems. 

“Our young people are telling us that they have very little faith in these systems that they cannot see a path to the change,” said Wilson. 

The inquest is examining whether the use of force was appropriate and whether systemic racism played a role in the death because the suspects were identified as Indigenous.

Pointing to an eagle feather fan that Hudson said was given to him by Premier Wab Kinew, the father criticized the NDP government.

“They were there during the protest, the rallies when they weren’t in office,” he said, “(But) where has our NDP government been since I’ve been trying to call for a public inquiry?”

At an unrelated event, Kinew said he had not yet heard Hudson’s comments. “The inquest that just took place was a very robust process. We need to see what that said,” he told reporters. 

Judge Margaret Wiebe is to deliver her report at a later date.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 20, 2026.