APTN National News
Medicine Hat police have cleared the RCMP in the shooting death of a Yellowknife woman in March.
Karen Lander, 42, was shot to death by Yellowknife RCMP after a five-hour standoff. Police alleged Lander charged at them.
Medicine Hat police were called in to investigate shortly after. They have determined there are no grounds for criminal charges against the officers involved in the shooting.
The case has now been turned over to the coroner who will determine if an inquest into the death is warranted.
This incident happened in March 2012 and 6 days later in Igoolok another civilian lost his life i due to another Mountie using deadly force. In both cases the individuals were intoxicated, suicidal and aggressive. However both took place in isloated areas, not in a large complex area of city, and the both officers could have and should have imployed alternative means of defusing the highly charged situations. Both officers reacted impulsively firing their weapons, which clearly shows lack of experience and/or training with civilians in aggressive situations. Both officers lacked the skills to defuse the heightened stress, expecting the civilians to immediately obey orders. Humans under the influence, coupled with emotional/mental issues are not likely to comply at all but rather become more aggressive with the influence of alcohol.
The RCMP must employ training skills for all members but especially for young inexperienced officers often faced with stressful confrontational situations. A simple solution should have been to wait the suspect out, physically removing oneself, reducing the threat that the red surge often generates. It is a shame that civilians have formed a support group for relatives of shooting victims by the RCMP in B.C. Canada is not a police state, at least that is the asumption, but civilian deaths happen far too often and the number seems to rise or remain at the same level. There are alternatives as other posts have shown recently with peaceful results. These influence public trust/respect but with another death at the hands of the RCMP the table slides back.
One wonders what the RCMP will do with their newly purchaed 18 TAVs – more unnecessary deaths such as the overuse of the taser. Boys and their new toys!
Totally disgusted!….