Mystery of Hudson Brooks shooting death sparks emotional rally
Grandmothers, skateboarders donned #JusticeforHudson sweats, urged cars to honk for Hudson
A candlelight vigil for Hudson Brooks yesterday outside the South Surrey RCMP detachment turned into a raucous protest for the 20-year-old who was shot in a police encounter a year ago.
A 100-strong crowd gathered near the detachment chanting and waving "Honk for Hudson" signs. At one point the vigil took a turn for the worse when a traffic-related fight erupted and police officers had to break up an obscenity-peppered shoving match.
The circumstances surrounding Brooks's shooting on July 18, 2015, remain a mystery to people who loved him, mired in investigation and shrouded in suspicion.
"You ruin our lives. You make us sit there and ruin our lives. It's the worse. How did my son die? I want to know," said Brooks's mother Jennifer.
All the Independent Investigations Office (IIO) has told family is that Brooks was shot at 2:30 a.m. PT by the RCMP.
Another officer ended up with a gunshot wound in her leg during the incident, but the only weapons found at the scene were police weapons.
Neither the IIO, nor the RCMP has revealed what happened in the moments leading up to the shooting, and why, or how a weapon was drawn on the young man described as "quirky" and "happy" by those who knew him.
It remains unclear whether Brooks was armed or not, but a IIO statement released earlier this year said: "Other than police issued equipment, nothing of significance was recovered from the scene."
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The family describe a helpless limbo, waiting to understand so they can grieve.
"We just want answers and I don't think that's too much to ask for the family. I get that there is procedures in place and I respect that, but I think something needs to be done to get some closure for the family because this has gone on too long," said family friend Tiffany Sharp.
An update on the investigation said the encounter was touched off by a call about a distressed suicidal man, and ended in a struggle.
Brooks's family says he had no mental health issues and was not suicidal.
"He was a good guy. Everybody that knew him knew he didn't deserve what happened to him," said his brother Beaudry, who has been outspoken since Brooks's death.