Victoria officer gets 7-day suspension over death of woman, hit by anti-riot rounds

By Canadian Press on June 12, 2025.

VICTORIA — An adjudicator appointed by B.C.’s police watchdog has handed down a seven-day suspension without pay to a Victoria police officer who fired an anti-riot weapon that killed a woman.

Former B.C. Supreme Court judge Wally Oppal says Sgt. Ron Kirkwood is a good police officer who had a bad moment, which led to “catastrophic circumstances.”

Oppal ruled last month that the officer’s use of the weapon on 43-year-old Lisa Rauch was “reckless and unnecessary.”

Oppal says the conduct of the officer, who has an exemplary record, can be described as a serious but not malicious error in judgment committed in the context of a challenging call.

Oppal’s earlier ruling said police were called on Christmas Day 2019 when the 43-year-old woman went into psychosis at a Victoria apartment after using drugs and alcohol.

It says when police entered the apartment, their view was obscured by smoke from a fire and they believed Rauch was standing, but she was sitting and was hit in the head by two plastic projectiles.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2025.

Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press

11
-10