Father told police he feared a 'hit' days before Prince Rupert family found dead, inquest hears
RCMP told a coroner's inquest Christopher Duong said someone had put out a 'hit' on him. Three days after an encounter with police, Duong, his partner and their two sons were found dead.
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By Torontoer Staff
RCMP officers told a coroner's inquest that Christopher Duong said someone had put out a "hit" on him, three days before Duong, his partner Janet Nguyen and their two young sons were found dead in Prince Rupert in June 2023. The inquest, which opened this week in Burnaby, has not yet revealed how the family died.
Testimony from two Prince Rupert constables described a late-night encounter on June 10, 2023, involving an abandoned SUV, items found in the vehicle and the family expressing fears that they were being followed or targeted.
RCMP account to the inquest
RCMP Constable Jason Kettle said he responded to a call about an abandoned Mercedes-Benz SUV that was obstructing traffic around midnight. The vehicle, registered to Nguyen, had a rear door open and contained luggage, a large amount of cash and ammunition for a "bear banger," Kettle told the inquest.
Kettle left a voicemail for Nguyen. A short time later the family arrived in a blue pickup. Nguyen told officers she felt she was being followed but declined to give details because she did not trust police, Kettle said.
He believes that a hit was put out on him and because of this, he believed that his family was being targeted or would be targeted, so he was essentially driving around town trying to stay mobile to, I suppose, not be tracked down.
RCMP Const. Jason Kettle
Constable Jordan Kealty, who also testified, confirmed Nguyen appeared worried and told officers someone had been following her and watching the family home for days. Kealty said he encouraged Duong to speak with police and offered options to leave the area by ferry or plane.
He then had told me that he was just going to drive around all night in Prince Rupert.
RCMP Const. Jordan Kealty
Search of the pickup and mental-health apprehension
Another officer stopped the pickup and observed a box cutter, a knife and an object that appeared to be a revolver in the centre console. The object was later identified as a bear banger, a device that discharges a loud round to scare off bears.
Duong was apprehended under the Mental Health Act. Kettle said he then ensured Nguyen and the two boys returned to their home and was instructed to notify the Ministry of Children and Family Development. Kettle described his notification as a brief overview of the file and concerns for the children.
Background: prior legal proceedings and medical history
A 2015 notice of civil claim filed by B.C.'s director of civil forfeiture described Duong as a "violent gang member and drug trafficker" known to police, and alleged a history of weapons offences. The claim said Duong used the alias "Christopher Tangeman."
That legal action led to Nguyen forfeiting $4,890 that police seized from her Louis Vuitton purse when officers encountered her at a Vancouver restaurant meeting described as involving "violent gang members." The purse also reportedly contained cocaine, and the money was seized as alleged proceeds of crime.
At the inquest a doctor testified Duong had suffered a brain injury in a car crash about a year before the family deaths. The coroner's inquest is a fact-finding, non-fault process meant to determine circumstances around deaths and recommend measures to prevent similar tragedies.
Family testimony and public safety
Joanne Nguyen, the sister of Janet Nguyen, testified emotionally at the opening of the inquest. She described her sister as an "amazing wife and beautiful mother" and said Duong was the family's anchor. The couple had started a crab fishing business together and, she said, "lived for the boys."
To lose one is unbearable, to lose all four is beyond words.
Joanne Nguyen, sister of Janet Nguyen
At the time the deaths were reported, police said they did not believe there were outstanding suspects or any ongoing danger to the public. The inquest has not yet issued findings on cause of death or identified other parties involved.
What the inquest will examine
The coroner's inquest will hear additional testimony and evidence aimed at establishing how the deaths occurred, what interactions the family had with police in the days and weeks before their deaths, and whether any systemic changes are required to prevent similar outcomes.
Proceedings are ongoing in Burnaby, and the inquest timeline and next witnesses have not been finalised publicly. Investigators and counsel are expected to review police records, medical reports and other material collected in the months since the family was found dead.
Until the inquest issues findings, questions about who may have been responsible for the deaths and the precise circumstances remain unanswered. The process is intended to establish those facts and, where appropriate, recommend steps to improve responses to people in crisis and to protect children.
Prince Rupertcoroner's inquestRCMPfamily deathsBritish Columbia
