LETTER: What is the delay in investigation of officer-involved shooting of Waylon Edey
By Contributor
Ed. Note: To read the answers offered by the Independent Investigations Office regarding many of the questions posed below, click here).
On the evening of Jan. 30, 2015, Waylon Jesse Edey, of Yahk, B.C. was shot dead by an RCMP Officer, during an “attempted traffic stop”, which took place on the Kinnaird Bridge, near Castlegar, B.C. From what I have heard, there were witnesses to the event. But the only official information relating to the shooting of Mr. Edey, some 33 days ago, is contained in the above introductory sentence. What is the delay all about?
Why have the Edey family, or some of his friends, not been heard from?
How is it, that the witnesses to the events, have not been heard from?
How is it, that the RCMP, have not provided an update?
Why has the special investigations watchdog not been heard from?
What’s the hold up with this case?
Very, very, clearly there has been a silencing order imposed on very person who has any information pertaining to the killing of Waylon Jesse Edey, which for 33 days, has not been lifted, or even publicly announced. Not even the shooter’s name, or sex, has been released. No one knows if the shooter is still pulling shifts, or if he/she is confined to a desk, or on leave, or what. We (The Public) bloody well know, who, and where Mr. Edey is, why is it, that his killer’s name, and situation, is being withheld from the media, and public?
In my opinion, there has been plenty of time, for the police watchdog to have done its investigatory work, and arrived at its decision, on who did what, to whom, and it’s looking more, and more, as though the case is being dragged out long enough that it will be mostly forgotten about. Mr. Edey was a human being, not a dog, to be put down, and forgotten about, which appears to be the course thing are heading in.
Mr. Edey (as a human being, Canadian, or otherwise) was in possession of certain guaranteed rights, “Every Individual” has those same rights.
Quote: “Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination…” – Constitution Act 1982 Well, it would appear, that only the RCMP Officer involved in the Edey shooting, has been, or is being, afforded those “..protections and ..benefits”… The long silence is deafeningly loud in what it causes people to suspect is going on!
“Equality Rights” “15. (1) Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability.” – Constitution Act 1982
“(2) Subsection (1) does not preclude any law, program or activity that has as its object the amelioration of conditions of disadvantaged individuals or groups included in those that are disadvantaged because of race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability.”– Constitution Act 1982
Jean H. Broeckx
Castlegar, BC
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