Community groups say they want a full investigation into the death of Vanessa Rentería, a Colombian refugee shot dead by the Surrey RCMP last week.
The groups, including the BC Civil Liberties Association and Battered Womens’ Support Services, say Rentería was a mother and union activist who came to Canada in search of a better life.
They say she was the mother of an 18-month-old daughter, and they say there needs to be a full, independent, and transparent investigation into her death.
The Surrey RCMP says the Independent Investigations Office of BC was notified on Sept. 19 about the shooting death.
At the time of the incident, the RCMP shared that it responded to reports of a disturbance at a home shortly after 4:30 a.m. after officers were called to a home where a woman had reportedly barricaded herself in a room with a weapon and a child.
Two other adults were in the room but were “safely removed.”
About an hour after they got there, an officer fired a weapon, striking the woman, Mounties said last week.
“The devastating loss of Vanessa has left her community, friends, and family with numerous questions, and we stand with them in demanding answers,” the BWSS shared.
“The initial information circulated to the public was the RCMP public account of the events that occurred on the day of the shooting. We know that, outside of the RCMP narrative, there is more information regarding what happened, including the context around her life and questions more broadly about Vanessa’s safety,” the BWSS added.
-With files from Emma Crawford.