A formal fatality inquest into the 2020 police shooting of 16-year-old Eishia Hudson began on February 2, 2026, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Hudson was a member of the Berens River First Nation. The inquest is examining the circumstances of her death and whether systemic issues, including racism, influenced how police interact with Indigenous youth, with the broader goal of making communities safer.
The teen’s father, William Hudson, and the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs have spent nearly six years pressing for this review. They want to know whether the use of lethal force was necessary and whether racism or systemic bias played a role in the officers’ decisions. The family has said it hopes the process will finally bring greater truth and accountability.
Early testimony during the hearing has already raised questions about the original police narrative. While early police statements described Hudson’s vehicle as having “rammed” a cruiser, evidence heard in the inquest has suggested the vehicle may have been trying to move away and that the contact with a police cruiser was not the aggressive ‘ramming’ initially reported. More than 30 witnesses — including experts and several young people who were in the vehicle with Hudson — are expected to testify over the course of the inquest.
The inquest was called under the Fatality Inquiries Act by the chief medical examiner and is being held in provincial court in Winnipeg; the Province of Manitoba has posted information about the proceedings. Chief Judge Margaret Wiebe is presiding. The judge will hear evidence and may issue recommendations aimed at changing policies, programs and practices to help prevent similar deaths in the future.
Leaders from Norway House have linked the case to a broader justice crisis in Northern Manitoba and have called for community-led safety programs to protect youth. The inquiry is expected to continue over the coming weeks as more witnesses are called to testify.
