A coroner’s inquest jury ruled Rodney Levi’s 2020 death by police a homicide

Background:
Metepenagiag First Nation man Rodney Levi was shot twice in the chest by RCMP Const. Scott Hait outside the residence of a church pastor on June 12, 2020, near Sunny Corner.

Police responded to a complaint about a man with knives at the home of pastor Brodie MacLeod of the Boom Road Pentecostal Church.

The RCMP officers who attended the call said that Levi had refused to surrender the two kitchen knives. According to Global news “Const. Justin Napke said Levi then told them, “You’re going to have to put a bullet in me.” Levi allegedly moved toward the two officers before he was fatally shot twice.”

Steven Ward, a lifelong friend told the jury he had spoken to Levi several time the day he was killed. He said Levi was reaching out for help but had not been able to get it. An autopsy revealed Levi, 48, had amphetamine and methamphetamine in his body at the time of the shooting.

The jury ultimately ruled on October 8th 2021 that Levis death was a homicide.