Contrary to what a coroner's inquest heard last week, there was another side to Ryan Allen Walter Jacob that was not reflected in the troubles he had with the law or the violent way in which his life ended.
The 45-year-old father of three was fiercely loyal, an accomplished athlete, physically strong, incredibly intelligent, spiritual, and someone who showed love to his mother, extended family and friends.
This was the picture his father, Squamish Chief Gilbert "Gibby" Jacob, painted for jurors July 23 during an emotional final day of testimony at a coroner's inquest into Jacob's death.
Chief Jacob also told the inquest he thought the RCMP officer who fatally shot his son did what he had to do. "I don't think he was left with any options than to do what he [did]" Chief Jacob said. "I'm just happy to try and put a bit of a (human side) to what you've heard about (Ryan)."
For about 30 minutes, Chief Jacob spoke tenderly, and at times humorously, about his only son who, the inquest heard, was shot by Burnaby RCMP Cpl. William Wark in the early hours of Jan. 31, 2013.
"We were very close and I still am close with my son," Chief Jacob said. "He protected his family, he protected his teammates. That's who he was... His goodness was there."
Chief Jacob told jurors about how, as a child, his son loved spending summers at his aunt and uncle's place in the Squamish Valley.
He talked of his son's love of sports and the leadership he demonstrated on and off the field. He also spoke of the troubles his son, who was dyslexic, had in school, his eventual problems with drugs and alcohol, and the pain and guilt he suffered when his young daughter was killed.
At the time of her death - she was shot by her stepfather, Chief Jacob explained - Ryan Jacob was in prison. He was granted an hour's leave to visit her in hospital before she died, Chief Jacob said.
"I'm not saying it excuses anything he did, but there is a reason," Chief Jacob said. "I know he missed his daughter terribly. I know that was at the core of him returning to the system again."
Earlier in the week, the five-person jury heard how Wark shot Jacob three times near the intersection of Hastings Street and MacDonald Avenue.
Jacob had approached the officer with a knife in each hand, was refusing to obey the officer's commands, and, eventually charged at Wark, the inquest heard. Jacob died in hospital about an hour later.
At the time of the shooting, Ryan Jacob, who has two sons, was wanted on a warrant for parole violation and, according to evidence heard at the inquiry, had been drinking.
RCMP officers had been called to the area in response to a report that a man had threatened a woman with a knife.
A subsequent investigation by the Independent Investigations Office of B.C. concluded Wark committed no criminal offence. The jury offered two recommendations. To the Minister of Health, they recommended adding more advanced life support units in the Lower Mainland. The jury also recommended that police train officers on the specifics of their communication devices.
