Police have been cleared of any criminal wrongdoing in a death that occurred as they foiled an alleged mass murder plot at the Halifax Shopping Centre.

James Gamble took his own life as police were investigating.

While his parents say they accept the findings of the Serious Incident Response Team, SIRT, they’re still proceeding with a complaint against the police.

Nearly nine months after Gamble took his own life; his parents say they have some answers.

“They did tell us that Jamie’s death was instant,” says Gamble’s mother, Patti Cody, “that he wouldn’t have suffered.”

SIRT was called even before Gamble’s death had been confirmed on Feb. 12.

Believing he was part of a plan to commit mass murder, police tried to coax Gamble out of the home.

“The contact between the police and the young man was appropriate,” explains SIRT director Ron MacDonald. “There was no evidence of any criminal wrongdoing.”

MacDonald says while the overall investigation is complex, James Gamble’s death is not.

His task was to determine whether the police encouraged or assisted Gamble in ending his life.

“The police, in fact, were doing what they thought was appropriate to take care of their safety,” he adds, “the safety of the public and the safety of the young man.”

Gamble’s parents have always wanted to know why the police prevented them from speaking with their son the night he died.

“That’s a reasonable decision,” says MacDonald. “Whether everybody would make that decision, that’s another question, but was it unreasonable? No.”

While they accept SIRT’s report, Gamble’s parents say they still have a number of questions only police can answer.

For that reason, they’re proceeding with a complaint revolving around what they say has been a lack of communication.

“I think if the police would be more transparent with us, and have some compassion,” says Cody, “it would go a long way.”

SIRT conducted interviews and received notes from 39 police officers.

They also received information from Gamble’s parents.

Cody says they want to point out they do not condone the alleged plot.

“But that we’re grieving our son,” she says, “and there’s answers that we need to help us heal.”

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Kayla Hounsell.