---
title: "BC Coroners Service sets November 9 inquest into the death of Chase de Balinhard, 15, during a Surrey police encounter"
description: "A coroner's inquest into the February 2025 death of Chase de Balinhard, who was 15 years old, will begin November 9 in Burnaby and will be livestreamed to the public."
canonical_url: "https://voche.me/bc/provincial-2026/news/bc-coroners-inquest-chase-de-balinhard-november-2026"
last_updated: "2026-10-29T11:09:55.929Z"
---

The BC Coroners Service announced on October 29, 2026 that a public inquest into the death of Chase de Balinhard will begin November 9, 2026 in Burnaby. Chase was 15 years old when he died on February 9, 2025, following events that involved the Surrey Police Service and the RCMP Surrey Provincial Operations Support Unit.

The inquest will be held at the Burnaby Coroners Court on the 20th floor of Metrotower II, 4720 Kingsway, Burnaby, starting at 9:30 a.m. BC Coroners Service says the inquest will also be livestreamed, so the public can watch online without travelling to Burnaby.

## Why there must be an inquest

Under section 18(2) of the Coroners Act, an inquest is mandatory when a person dies while detained by or in the custody of a peace officer. The BC Coroners Service announcement states that Chase died following events involving the two police agencies.

An inquest is a public process. BC Coroners Service explains three purposes: establishing the facts of how, when, where and by what means Chase died; making recommendations, where evidence supports them, to prevent deaths in similar circumstances; and ensuring public confidence that the circumstances of the death will not be overlooked or concealed. A jury may make recommendations but cannot assign legal responsibility.

Coroner John Knox will preside. A jury will hear evidence from witnesses under oath and may make recommendations, but the Coroners Act does not allow a jury to make a finding of legal responsibility or express a conclusion of law.

## Attending or watching

The inquest begins on Monday, November 9, 2026 at 9:30 a.m. Seats are available in person at the Burnaby Coroners Court. BC Coroners Service will also carry a livestream at the inquest schedule page on gov.bc.ca.

People watching online may not record or distribute the proceedings. Accredited media who attend in person may record for the accuracy of their notes only, and may not broadcast those recordings.

BC Coroners Service updates its inquest schedule at gov.bc.ca/gov/content/life-events/death/coroners-service/inquest-schedule-jury-findings-verdicts, where the livestream link will also appear once the inquest begins.

## Sitemap

See the full [sitemap](/bc/provincial-2026/sitemap.md) for all pages.