Matthew Atkinson was shot and killed by RCMP on Dec. 14. Photo: submitted.
Matthew Atkinson, aka Fabian Skani, 41, led a life with its share of challenges, according to his cousin, and chief of Cold Lake First Nations (CLFN).
His life ended in a public place on Dec. 14, in Cold Lake, Alta., where he was shot and killed by RCMP.
He’s the 15th Indigenous person killed in incidents involving law enforcement since the end of August.
“He had two names [and] he was a [‘60s] Scoop survivor,” CLFN Chief Kelsey Jacko told APTN News. “Coming home and finding your identity, he was a Skani. It’s hitting pretty hard.”
Jacko said Skani had two children and that their mother died a year ago from her addictions.
“These kids have to grow up with no parents, but family stepped up to raise them,” Jacko said.
Cold Lake RCMP said in a news release that at approximately 8 p.m. on Dec. 14, officers responded to a 911 call of an attempted stabbing at a transit stop in Cold Lake.
“Two officers arrived and located the male subject armed with an edged weapon. Officers used their intervention options, including a firearm, to bring the subject into custody,” the release stated.
“The subject was transported to the local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. No officers or other civilians were injured during this incident.”
Jacko said Skani was homeless and living with addictions in Cold Lake.
“This was unnecessary. It should never have happened, Jacko said. “It started with a scuffle on the bus, I don’t know if he tried to stab somebody, but somebody called in the police and that’s when it happened.”
Jacko questioned the use of lethal force on Skani.
“They’re (RCMP officers) trained to resolve these problems. Really, did they need to shoot him three times? Couldn’t they have shot him just once? He was wearing winter gear, maybe a taser didn’t affect him.”
The RCMP have not said how many times Skani was shot and the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team is conducting an independent investigation. APTN has reached out to ASIRT for a comment on this case.
Jacko has long been a proponent of bringing a tribal police force to Cold Lake First Nations.
“They should have special units to train our people,” Jacko said.
But, Jacko points out, it’s a matter of money and jurisdiction.
“It should be deemed an essential service. I know we have to work with the province and the federal government. Forty-eight per cent would come from the province and 52 per cent federal. But the numbers have to be right,” Jacko said.
Jacko said reading comments on social media has been very disheartening for him as chief, and at times he’s been tempted to engage.
“But, I’m supposed to be a leader and I try to stay positive. The racism, residential school deniers, it’s very frustrating at the end of the day because I’m the one- my community-who has to carry these people to their graves,” Jacko said.
“They’re upset, they want something done. They don’t want this to happen again.”
Jacko said the family is planning a service for Skani in the new year.
