On July 8, 2021, Jared Lowndes, a 38-year-old member of the Wetʼsuwetʼen First Nation, was fatally shot by Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers in Campbell River, British Columbia. In late 2022, the British Columbia Independent Investigations Office released a statement that the officers "may have committed offences in relation to various uses of force" and is preparing a report to submit to Crown Counsel.[1] The identities of the three RCMP officers involved in the shooting have not yet been made public.

Persons involved

Jared Lowndes

Jared Lowndes, a member of the Wetʼsuwetʼen First Nations, was 38 years old at the time of his death. He had two children and also had familial ties to the Homalco First Nation.[2] He spent most of his life in Vancouver, but had lived in Campbell River for six years at the time of his death.[3] He had previously alleged harassment and mistreatment by the RCMP; in January 2021 he wrote an open letter alleging that he had been denied food and subjected to degrading conditions in custody in North Fraser Pretrial detention, and that he was worried the RCMP were going to kill him.[2] His conviction and detention in 2020 related to firearms offenses from 2013.[4]

Unidentified RCMP officers

At least 3 officers of the Campbell River RCMP were involved in the shooting. However, their identity has not yet been published by the RCMP or the Independent Investigations Office.[1] Even basic facts such as how many officers opened fire have not yet been released.[5]

Event

The killing of Jared Lowndes took place on the morning of July 8, 2021, in Campbell River, British Columbia, a town located on the east coast of Vancouver Island. Before 5:30 am, an unidentified Campbell River RCMP officer approached a stopped Audi vehicle driven by Lowndes, who drove away.[1][3] At around 9:00 am, a larger group of RCMP, who had been called for by dispatch, approached Lowndes' car again outside a Tim Hortons restaurant on the South Island Highway; they later stated that they were pursuing an outstanding warrant for him.[5][1][3] Lowndes once again attempted to leave, but was blocked from doing so.[6]

The police then confronted Lowndes using a police dog; Lowndes also had a young dog in the car with him.[5] The RCMP have alleged that the police dog and its handler were stabbed during the altercation, and that the dog died.[7][8] Officers then shot Lowndes multiple times; he died at the scene.[1][9] Family members have stated in the press that he was shot in the face.[3] Few details about the sequence of events, or who was present, have been made public.

Aftermath

Official investigations

Independent Investigations Office of BC

On the same day Lowndes was killed, the Independent Investigations Office, which is mandated to look into police use of force in British Columbia, launched an investigation led by Chief Civilian Director Ronald J. MacDonald.[6][10][5] In December 2022 they released a statement that "reasonable grounds exist to believe that three officers may have committed offences in relation to various uses of force. As a result, and pursuant to Section 38.11 of the Police Act, the IIO is preparing a report to be submitted to the BC Prosecution Service for consideration of charges in the coming months."[11][1][2] The IIO completed its report in October 2023 and forwarded its findings to the British Columbia Prosecution Service which will consider filing charges against the officers.[12][13] Most of the details remain private, but the IIO has stated that it still believes the 3 officers may have committed offenses and could be charged.[14][15]

Community reactions

Days after the killing, the First Nations Leadership Council released a statement condemning it and calling for accountability from the RCMP.[16][17] Grand Chief Stewart Phillip called it the latest in a number of racist and dehumanizing killings of Indigenous people in the province.[4] The National Police Federation, on the other hand, released a statement that Lowndes would still be alive if he had complied with police orders.[16][18] This was condemned by community activists, as well as the fact that the RCMP had commemorated the death of the police dog but not Lowndes himself.[18][19]

A demonstration in Campbell River on the anniversary of Lowndes' death

Lowndes' friends and family have become the main advocates for his cause after his killing.[7] His mother, Laura Holland, has been a key activist; she publicly described him as a loving man who did not deserve to die the way he did.[18][20][2] Holland has called for a public inquest into her son's death and for the introduction of police body cameras in British Columbia.[4] Ketisha Hackett, the mother of Lowndes' children, has also spoken publicly about his killing, stating that it was cruel and unnecessary.[3] Activists and critics also condemned the over-reliance on police dogs and the RCMP's rapid escalation to using deadly force in interactions with the public.[4] Activists staged a protest in Campbell River on the anniversary of Lowndes' death, which ended outside the Campbell River RCMP building.[7] For their part, the RCMP alleged that criminal elements were involved in the protest and that they were launching an investigation into it.[7]

Holland released a statement after the IIO's December 2022 press release, stating that the IIO's decision affirmed what she and her family already knew about the wrongness of the RCMP officers' actions.[2] Organizations such as the Pivot Legal Society and the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association expressed their support for the IIO's decision as well.[2] However, advocates also stated that they were losing faith in the IIO, which already had multiple investigations open about the Campbell River RCMP with few consequences and no apparent change in policing techniques.[7] Holland and other family members participated in a memorial art event at Gallery Gachet in Vancouver in March 2023.[21] A website Justice For Jared was also created to draw attention to his case.[22]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "IIO to File Report with Crown Counsel for Consideration of Charges Regarding July 2021 Shooting Incident in Campbell River (2021-179)". Independent Investigations Office of BC. 1 December 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 McKenna, Cara (2 December 2022). "RCMP may face charges in death of Wet'suwet'en man, advocates say reform is urgent". IndigiNews. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Wilson, Lee (12 July 2021). "Police watchdog investigating after B.C. RCMP shoot, kill Wet'suwet'en man in Campbell River". APTN News. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Dickson, Louise (21 July 2021). "Fatal shooting raises questions about use of police service dogs". Times Colonist. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Coyne, Todd (1 December 2022). "B.C. police watchdog finds grounds for charges against 3 RCMP officers in killing of Indigenous man". CTV News Vancouver Island. Bell Media. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  6. 1 2 "IIO is Investigating an Officer-Involved Shooting in Campbell River (2021-179)". Independent Investigations Office of BC. 8 July 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Chan, Adam (11 July 2022). "Protesters surround Campbell River RCMP detachment on anniversary of Indigenous man's death". CTV News Vancouver Island. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  8. ↑ "BC RCMP notify the IIO BC of a fatal incident in Campbell River". Royal Canadian Mounted Police. 8 July 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  9. ↑ "Campbell River RCMP who fatally shot Indigenous man could be charged". CHEK News. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  10. ↑ Ruttle, Joseph. "Independent investigator recommends charges against three Mounties in 2021 police shooting death of Jared Lowndes". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  11. ↑ Follett Hosgood, Amanda (2 December 2022). "Police Watchdog Recommends Charges for Shooting Death of Jared Lowndes". The Tyee. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  12. ↑ "IIO Has Submitted Report to Crown Counsel for Consideration of Charges Regarding the Death of One Man in Campbell River in July 2021 (2021-179)". Independent Investigations Office of BC. Independent Investigations Office of British Columbia. 27 October 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  13. ↑ Coyne, Todd (27 October 2023). "B.C. Crown prosecutors considering charges against 3 RCMP officers in death of Indigenous man". British Columbia. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  14. ↑ Chan, Adam (27 October 2023). "IIO has 'reasonable grounds' to believe 3 RCMP officers involved in Jared Lowndes death may have committed offences". CHEK News. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  15. ↑ Kitteringham, Marc (27 October 2023). "Crown given probe suggesting 3 RCMP officers be charged in B.C. man's death". Nanaimo News Bulletin. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  16. 1 2 Coyne, Todd (14 July 2021). "B.C. First Nations leaders call for inquest after man killed by Campbell River RCMP". Vancouver Island. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  17. ↑ "Justice for Jared: FNLC Outraged at RCMP's Fatal Shooting and Dehumanizing Treatment of Wet'suwet'en Man in Campbell River, BC". UBCIC. 13 July 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  18. 1 2 3 Baker, Rochelle (21 July 2021). "Mother of Indigenous man shot by police confronts Campbell River RCMP". Vancouver Island. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  19. ↑ Egan-Elliott, Roxanne (17 July 2021). "RCMP union rejects family's criticism in Campbell River police shooting". Times Colonist. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  20. ↑ Auger, Odette (27 July 2021). "'In our grief, rage and love' says mother of Wet'suwet'en man killed by Campbell River police". IndigiNews. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  21. ↑ Turner, Abigail (15 March 2023). "Families of those killed by police officers remember loved ones in Vancouver art exhibit". CTV News Vancouver. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  22. ↑ Kitteringham, Marc (14 December 2021). "Website helping keep victims of police violence from becoming 'just a statistic' - Campbell River Mirror". www.campbellrivermirror.com. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
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