Canada airport death to be investigated

VANCOUVER — A coroner's inquest will be held into the death of a Polish immigrant after police used an electric stun gun on him at Vancouver International Airport.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have said Robert Dziekanski, 40, was acting aggressively and out of control, yelling, throwing things, banging on the windows and sweating heavily.

He died Oct. 14 after police used the stun gun on him in an attempt to subdue him.

A preliminary autopsy report showed there were no signs of trauma, disease or any other obvious cause of death, and officials are waiting for results of toxicology and other tests.

A witness said police used the stun gun on the man four times, but police said the weapon's log shows only two jolts were used.

Inquests are automatic for in-custody deaths, but no date has been set for this inquest, said Jeff Dolan, British Columbia's assistant deputy chief coroner.

He said officials of the coroner's service met Tuesday with Zofia Cisowski, Dziekanski's mother.

"The purpose of the meeting was to ensure that the family is aware of what the role of the coroner is, the fact that it's an independent, fact-finding investigation," he said. "And what they can expect as the investigation progresses (and) they ultimately go to inquest."

Cisowski said Monday that police have not told her any details about her son's death. A spokesman said they have tried to contact her but have only been in touch with her lawyer.