Recommendation Monitoring of the Inquest into the Death of Haki Sefa and Mark DiCesare

2023-07-28

Summary

Link to inquest report

On September 20, 2015, Haki Sefa was the subject of a well-being check due to concerned
family members. Mr. Sefa was not located at his home, nor did he answer his cell phone when
officers attempted to contact him. His phone was “pinged” multiple times, without success in
locating Mr. Sefa. Eventually it was learned by officers that Mr. Sefa had purchased a
firearm and intended to kill himself and another person with which he had a grievance. Mr.
Sefa’s phone was pinged again and he was located driving a white van. Mr. Sefa led officers
on a lengthy low speed pursuit, eventually being pinned to a stop by members of the Winnipeg
Police Service’s Tactical Team, north of Winnipeg. Shortly after, officers observed Mr. Sefa
point a silver handgun at one of their members and he was shot dead by police.

On November 6, 2015, Mr. DiCesare drove past a police officer at a slow rate of speed and
pointed a firearm at her, before driving away erratically and at a high rate of speed.
Eventually, Mr. DiCesare was located, still driving his vehicle, where he was pursued by
multiple members of the Winnipeg Police Service. Eventually, police managed to stop the
vehicle in a field, where a standoff occurred. Mr. DiCesare entered and exited his vehicle
expressing suicidal ideation and pointing his firearm at himself. Eventually, while
apologizing to WPS members for forcing them to shoot him, he lowered his firearm, which was
believed to be an Uzi sub-machine gun, so that it was pointing at WPS members. He was shot
dead by police. The firearm was later examined and determined to be an imitation or replica
firearm.

Both deaths were determined to be “suicide by cop”. Date of inquest report is October 9,
2019; Status of review – completed July 28, 2023.