As a community mourns the death of a teenager shot and killed by police after allegedly calling them for help, First Nations leaders and the boy’s family are condemning the officers’ actions and have made five requests.
The boy has been identified as Hoss Lightning, who had just turned 15 in February.The teen was from Samson Cree Nation, one of four First Nation communities that make up Maskwacis in central Alberta.Lightning died in the city of Wetaskiwin, which is just down the road from Maskwacis, about 70 kilometres south of Edmonton.
The RCMP said officers responded around 12:30 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 30, after receiving a 911 call from someone who said he was being followed by people who were trying to kill him.
A letter issued Monday by Samson Cree Nation Coun. Izaiah Swampy-Omeasoo, on behalf of the boy’s family, said Lightning was the one who made that call for help, only to end up dead.Just under an hour after the 911 call came in last Friday, RCMP said the officers found “an individual” on 56th Street and 37A Avenue in Wetaskiwin and approached him.
RCMP said the person had weapons on them, which the officers confiscated. Police did not say what kind of weapons they were.“A confrontation occurred which resulted in two officers discharging their service firearms and the individual being struck. Officers immediately transitioned to life saving measures, rendering first aid to the individual and EMS was called. EMS transported the individual to the hospital however, despite lifesaving efforts, the individual died at the hospital,” the police statement from last week said.
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) is investigating.The teen’s family released an image of him, in which he is holding a photo of his late grandfather Hoss Saddleback, after whom he was named.The Lightning and Saddleback families said they condemn the officers’ actions to the fullest extent.They called for residents to come together to stand up against injustice, to honour Lightning, and to work together to “repair the damage that has been done and seek out new, progressive ways for a better future.”