Warning: This article describes an incident where a man is shot and killed.
A 32-second video sent to APTN News shows the last moments of Danny Knife’s life in Atahkakoop Cree Nation in northern Saskatchewan.
The dramatic video, sent by a family member, shows Knife standing outside a home in the community on a sunny morning on Sept. 8.
Police can be heard shouting at him.
“Put it down,” an officer yelled. “Put the gun down.”
Knife is seen looking away from the house, towards the police. He is holding something in one hand.
In the video, which was also posted on social media, a young child can be seen running out of the house to see what is happening – then running back inside.
Knife can be seen standing, then bending over, then crouching.
After the last warning, he stands and a single shot rings out and Knife drops to the ground. The video ends.
The Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT), a police watchdog agency, has taken over the case. It said in a statement that: “RCMP were dispatched to a report that a 27-year-old female had been assaulted with a machete. Members attended the location of the call and the female was subsequently transported to hospital by EMS.”
The statement notes “the male exited and returned to the residence on several occasions and engaged in several verbal exchanges with police. A confrontation occurred between the man and RCMP members which caused the officers to withdraw and seek cover.
“A confrontation occurred between the man and police,” the statement adds, “during which one member of the RCMP’s Emergency Response Team (ERT) discharged a single round from a service firearm, striking the man.”
Indigenous people killed after interacting with police
Knife is one of five Indigenous people to be killed in Canada after interactions with police in the last two weeks.
The most recent was on Sept. 6 in Windsor, Ont., where the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is looking into the shooting of Jason West, 57, an Indigenous man, according to media reports.
Windsor Police said in a statement that “officers responded to a report of a person with a weapon” at approximately 10:30 a.m., and “there was an interaction between the man and an officer.”
The suspect was transported to hospital and later pronounced deceased, the statement said.
No further details were provided.
On Aug. 30, RCMP in the town of Wetaskiwin, Alta., shot and killed 15-year-old Hoss Lightning who had called 911 for help. On Sept. 3, a Winnipeg Police Service cruiser struck and killed Tammy Bateman during a collision in a park.
And, on Sept. 8, RCMP in the Mi’kmaq community of Elsipogtog in New Brunswick shot and killed Steven (Iggy) Dedam, 24, during a wellness check on the same day that Knife died.
With files from Creeson Agecoutay and Dennis Ward.
