A Maple Ridge man has offered to donate money for counselling services for a woman whose brother was shot by Ridge Meadows RCMP in their home.

Carl Wheaton said he has followed the story of the police shooting of Kyaw Din. He wants to pay for six months worth of counselling for his sister, who was there when he was fatally shot.

Kyaw was a Myanmar immigrant who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, and was in need of medical assistance on the day he was killed in August of 2019. Four officers had arrived at the home to assist ambulance attendants who were trying to get him to hospital.

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The Independent Investigations Office, a provincial police watchdog agency, did not recommend charges against the officer who shot and killed the 54-year-old, based on the finding Din had been violent toward police.

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The victim害羞草研究所檚 sister Yin Yin, who dealt with police at the scene on the day of his shooting, has called for charges against the officer.

She has been denied victim害羞草研究所檚 assistance 害羞草研究所� no funds for counselling 害羞草研究所� by the Crime Victim Assistance Program, because the agency said her brother was not the victim of a criminal offence.

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Wheaton explained that he lost his own foster daughter.

害羞草研究所淚t honestly has just drowned me,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淎nd I went to therapy, and it has helped me.害羞草研究所�

So he has empathy for Yin Yin, and the family tragedy she has endured.

害羞草研究所淪he witnessed all of that, and it害羞草研究所檚 her loving brother, and it害羞草研究所檚 terrible,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 in a position to help this lady, and I would really like to do that.害羞草研究所�

He said he will pay for counselling sessions twice a month for six months. He will write a cheque, 害羞草研究所渘o strings attached.害羞草研究所�

After two years of counselling, Wheaton has been able to deal with his own feelings of loss, and regrets that he couldn害羞草研究所檛 save his foster daughter, who had her own mental health battles.

A counsellor helped lift the burden with a simple ask: 害羞草研究所淒id you do your best?害羞草研究所�

He said he was at first offended by the question.

害羞草研究所淥f course I did my best,害羞草研究所� he answered.

害羞草研究所淗ow could you do better than your best?害羞草研究所� the counsellor pointed out, and it helped free him from feelings of guilt.

Wheaton害羞草研究所檚 late foster daughter had some dealings with police when she was in an elevated state, and he believes officers need the best possible training and protocols to deal with these situations, which too often end in tragedy. He said police reviews must be more transparent, and give families answers in a timely manner.

Yin Yin was appreciative of Wheaton害羞草研究所檚 offer, and said she has been in a depression that has lasted months.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 deeply thankful, and really appreciate it. I feel there are people who are empathetic after what happened to Kyaw. 害羞草研究所淭here was no reason for my brother to have been killed by police.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淪ometimes I feel abandoned, but people like this害羞草研究所� I really look up to.害羞草研究所�

She awaits a decision by the BC Coroner害羞草研究所檚 Service, about whether to hold an inquiry into the shooting.