Family of Wet'suwet'en man shot and killed by RCMP sues police force

The family of a Wet'suwet'en man who was shot and killed by RCMP have filed a lawsuit against the police force, a day before the second anniversary of his death.

Jared Lowndes, 38, was shot and killed by unnamed members of the RCMP at a Tim Hortons in Campbell River, B.C., on July 8, 2021.

A notice of civil claim names Lowndes's mother, Laura Holland, along with his two daughters Phoenix and Patience, as the plaintiffs while B.C.'s Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General is a defendant alongside four RCMP constables referred to as "Jon Doe."

"Nothing will bring my son back, my granddaughter will never have her dad at her graduation, and there will be no father to walk her down the aisle if or when she marries," Holland said in a statement released by the Pivot Legal Society on Friday.

"The reality that too many Indigenous people face is that our deaths are swept under the rug because we lack the resources to bring cases like this against police and government, who have access to seemingly endless resources to fight our people." 

Investigators found reasonable grounds for charges

The family say they've suffered great anguish since the killing, developing depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress after losing the care and guidance and financial support Lowndes provided while he was alive.

The family's lawyer, Neil Chantler, says his death at the hands of the RCMP was a senseless killing with many unanswered questions about how police handled the situation.

The allegations have not been proven in court and the RCMP has yet to file a response to the civil claim.

In December 2022, B.C.'s Independent Investigations Office (IIO), which handles cases of police-involved death, said it found reasonable grounds for possible charges against three RCMP officers in the case.

According to an IIO statement from December 2022, the series of incidents leading to Lowndes's death began when an officer tried to check a parked blue Audi around 5:30 a.m. on July 8, 2021.

The Audi drove away and "there was contact between the Audi and police vehicle," the IIO said, adding that the officer did not pursue the car but advised other officers. 

Around 9 a.m. the same day, police stopped the Audi at a drive-thru in the 2000-block of the South Island Highway in Campbell River. 

Police fired shots and a man died, the IIO said. 

At the time of the incident, RCMP said Lowndes fled from police until his car was rammed by police cruisers. They also said a service dog was stabbed and killed during the altercation.

IIO Chief Civilian Director Ronald MacDonald "determined that reasonable grounds exist to believe that three officers may have committed offences in relation to various uses of force," the office's statement said. 

Justice delayed

At the time, the IIO said it was preparing a report to submit to to the B.C. Prosecution Service for consideration of charges.

The service said no report has yet been received.

When contacted on Friday, the IIO said it would not be able to provide an update on the case until next week.

In the past, MacDonald has drawn attention to a lack of funding hampering the IIO's ability to recruit enough trained staff to properly handle the organization's caseload.

In her statement, Holland said she's been frustrated at the delays in justice for her son.

"At one time I had to have faith in the IIO, it was the only hope we had," she said in her statement.

"Now I need to put my faith in the court system, that hasn't always been just for my people. It is my hope we see some semblance of justice through these systems."