Date set for inquest into death of man during arrest in Brantford

A date has been announced for a coroner’s inquest into the 2019 death of a man who died inside of a Brantford hotel room while Hamilton police were attempting to arrest him in connection with a double homicide.

David Thomson, 33, was inside of a hotel room at the Days Inn on Fairview Drive on Nov. 3, 2019 when police surrounded the building and directed him to surrender himself.

After hearing a single gunshot, officers went into the room and found Thomson had died from a self-inflicted wound.

At the time, Thomson was wanted by police in the double murder of 62-year-old Donald Lowe and 32-year-old Cheryl Nicholl in Hamilton the previous night. Police believe they were targeted.

READ MORE: Suspect in Hamilton double homicide found dead in Brantford hotel

Ontario’s police watchdog has cleared the Hamilton officers of any potential charges.

However, an inquest is mandatory under the Coroners Act any time a suspect dies during an arrest.

The five-day inquest has been set for March 18 at 9:30 a.m. and will hear from approximately six witnesses.

The jury is tasked with examining the circumstances surrounding Thomson’s death and making recommendations aimed at preventing similar deaths in the future.