A report detailing the investigation into the death of convicted B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton at a Quebec prison last year says he was fatally stabbed with a broken broom handle.
The fatal assault at the Port-Cartier Institution in May 2024 led to a formal investigation by Correctional Service Canada (CSC), which found that inmates routinely had access to objects that could be used as weapons.
The CSC Board of Investigation report says that on May 19, 2024, at 5:16 p.m., Pickton was attacked by another inmate in the common room while medication was being distributed in his unit.
“When the assault started, the Correctional Officer (CO) assigned to the control post requested the assistance of other COs, who quickly intervened and were able to convince the aggressor to stop the assault,” the reports says.
Two minutes later, the aggressor grabbed a broomstick, broke the handle, and thrust it into Pickton’s face.
“Correctional Officers again intervened, managed to gain (the aggressor’s) compliance, handcuffed him, then escorted him to the Structured Intervention Unit,” the report continued.
Pickton was airlifted to hospital in Sept-Îles. Due to his critical condition, he was transported to a hospital in Quebec City the next day. He died in the intensive care unit 12 days later.
At the time of the incident, Pickton was 74 and had been serving a life sentence since 2007 for six counts of second-degree murder. Twenty additional counts of first-degree murder led to a stay of proceedings in 2010.
His crimes received extensive media coverage across the country and around the world.
Corrections Canada said his security level had been maintained at maximum since his intake assessment in 2008.
He had been incarcerated at Port-Cartier Institution since 2018.
No criminal charges have been laid in Pickton’s death.
Inmates had access to cleaning supplies
The board was tasked with looking at the “facts and circumstances” leading up to the deadly assault, as well as “examining whether policies and protocols were followed, and identifying any recommendations or corrective measures needed.”
One of the issues identified was access to cleaning supplies, like brooms and mops, which could be used as weapons.
“Inmates had free access to cleaning items and that there were no functional locking cabinets that could be used to store the brooms or mops on the range, nor was there an inventory of these items at the time of the incident,” the report found.
The institution has since taken steps to remedy this issue, according to the report.
“A project is underway to secure the doors of the cleaners’ storerooms in unit common rooms to better control access to cleaning supplies,” the report reads.
“Furthermore, a reminder has been issued for special monitoring on the night shift, of materials in unit common rooms.”
The reports says there is also now an inventory list of the items in every common room at the prison.
Correctional Service Canada is required by law to investigate incidents where an inmate under their care and custody dies or suffers serious bodily injury.
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