Unraveling the Tragic Final Moments: Dispatch Audio Illuminates Myles Gray Inquest

The hushed courtroom at the inquest into the death of Myles Gray recently experienced a profoundly unsettling moment: the playback of raw, unedited police dispatch audio from that fateful August night in 2017. For many, it was the first real-time glimpse, unfiltered by retrospective analysis, into the chaotic and escalating confrontation that ultimately led to Gray's passing while in RCMP custody.

As the recordings crackled to life, the gravity of the situation became palpable. We heard Constable Kory Geldart, the first officer on scene, responding to a seemingly innocuous call about a man causing a disturbance – reportedly splashing a woman with a garden hose near a Burnaby home. What followed was anything but ordinary. Geldart's initial reports painted a picture of an individual, Myles Gray, behaving erratically, described as 'agitated,' 'acting strange,' and making guttural 'grunting' sounds.

The situation, it quickly became clear, was spiraling. Almost immediately, Geldart’s voice, strained and urgent, cut through the static, calling for backup. He spoke of Gray's incredible strength, repeatedly emphasizing, 'He's very strong... super, super strong,' as Gray allegedly resisted arrest with an intensity that seemed to defy expectation. The audio captured the visceral sounds of a desperate struggle, punctuated by shouts from officers attempting to gain control and Gray’s persistent grunts.

More officers arrived, their voices joining the fray, adding to the palpable tension in the recordings. We heard the commands, 'Stop resisting!' and references to the use of force, including OC spray – commonly known as pepper spray – and leg restraints, all in a frantic attempt to subdue Gray. It was a harrowing listen, painting a vivid, if fragmented, picture of the scene from the officers' perspective.

Then, a terrifying shift. The struggle, the shouts, the grunts – they abruptly ceased. The urgency in the officers’ voices changed, morphing from attempts at control to calls for immediate medical assistance. Gray had become unresponsive. BC Emergency Health Services paramedic Geoff Morrison later testified, recounting the scene upon his arrival: Gray was without a pulse, not breathing, and despite immediate CPR efforts, he was tragically pronounced dead right there at the scene.

The inquest has also brought to light the truly shocking extent of Gray's injuries. An autopsy revealed a fractured eye socket, a fractured voice box, a broken sternum, and ten broken ribs. There was also a ruptured testicle and a brain injury. While the official cause of death pointed to the ruptured testicle and brain injury, these were complicated by a pre-existing heart condition and the presence of methamphetamine in his system. It’s a stark, somber list, offering a chilling insight into the intensity of the struggle.

This ongoing inquest isn't about assigning blame; rather, it's a critical fact-finding mission. Its purpose is to meticulously review the circumstances surrounding Myles Gray's death, piece by painful piece, and ultimately to formulate recommendations aimed at preventing such a tragedy from ever happening again. Listening to those dispatch tapes, one can only hope that understanding will emerge from such profound loss.