Mothers of two fatal police shooting victims gathered today where Jared Lowndes died exactly one year ago.

Laura Holland and Martha Martin joined anti-police-violence organizers from across B.C. outside a Campbell River Tim Hortons to commemorate Lowndes乌鸦传媒� death on July 8, 2021 and to call for change.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 been a year of quiet grieving for me,乌鸦传媒� Lowndes乌鸦传媒� mother Laura Holland told the gathering. 乌鸦传媒淎nd I say quiet grieving. Because I haven乌鸦传媒檛 been out speaking, haven乌鸦传媒檛 been out telling people, haven乌鸦传媒檛 been out telling the world how I feel. I haven乌鸦传媒檛 been out telling the governments they need to change. It乌鸦传媒檚 been a year of quiet grief for me. And today that ends.

乌鸦传媒淚 tried my best to respect my people乌鸦传媒檚 ways. And today, it乌鸦传媒檚 over. Today starts my year of love and rage.乌鸦传媒�

Martin乌鸦传媒檚 daughter, Chantel Moore of the Tofino-area Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, was killed by the Edmunston police in New Brunswick in June of 2020. And a few months later, Martin乌鸦传媒檚 son, Mike Martin, died while in custody at the Surrey pre-trial centre.

乌鸦传媒淎s mothers, we are angry, we are disgusted,乌鸦传媒� she said as highway traffic passed and customers entered and exited the restaurant parking lot. 乌鸦传媒淲here乌鸦传媒檚 our leadership乌鸦传媒檚 coming, you know?乌鸦传媒�

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Friday乌鸦传媒檚 rally was organized by #JusticeForJared supporters. It was to include a march through Campbell River and another rally at Strathcona Gardens Recreation Complex adjacent to the Campbell River RCMP police detachment.

Lowndes, 38, was killed in a police-involved altercation in the Tim Hortons parking lot. Police say Mounties attempted to stop a vehicle in relation to an outstanding warrant when the suspect fled. According to the National Police Federation, it was an outstanding warrant for weapons offences. An officer boxed the vehicle in before confronting Lowndes with a police dog. The dog was fatally stabbed and Lowndes was shot, dying a short time later. The dog handler received a knife wound.

Holland said there乌鸦传媒檚 not a day that goes by that she doesn乌鸦传媒檛 wake up and think about her son.

乌鸦传媒淭here乌鸦传媒檚 not a day that goes by I don乌鸦传媒檛 wake up and think, just around the corner here. Just around the corner is where his car was smashed in by three police vehicles,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淭hey sent their dog after him.乌鸦传媒�

Organizers of the #JusticeForJared rally said in an emailed statement they march to bring attention to the ongoing violence perpetrated at the hands of the RCMP. They say the killing of Indigenous people by police must end.

乌鸦传媒淭he weaponization of attack dogs to help the RCMP murder and maim should be criminal. If anyone besides the police did this, it would be treated as a crime,乌鸦传媒� Randy Geddes, friend of Jared Lowndes, said in the statement.

乌鸦传媒淲hy are they held to a different standard? The rate of violent crimes against Indigenous people 乌鸦传媒� by those meant to keep us safe 乌鸦传媒� is astonishing. The police investigating police乌鸦传媒檚 crimes needs to stop. The IIO can never be a truly impartial organization and can乌鸦传媒檛 be trusted to take care of public safety.乌鸦传媒�

The IIO is the Independent Investigations Office, B.C.乌鸦传媒檚 police watchdog set up to investigate police-related incidents at arms-length from the force.

As of the first anniversary of Lowndes shooting, the IIO has yet to produce a public report on his death.

Holland continues to call for an external investigation, including the examination of the role of the RCMP 乌鸦传媒淓乌鸦传媒� Division and the federal ministries which oversee and dictate RCMP activities 乌鸦传媒� the Minister of Justice and Minister of Public Safety.

Since Lowdnes乌鸦传媒� death, four other IIO Investigations have been opened into deaths connected to the Campbell River RCMP. While these investigations are done independently, march organizers say they shroud police conduct in secrecy. They want the RCMP subject to public scrutiny.

乌鸦传媒淎s a mother of two children killed by police and prisons, I have no faith in recommendations. We need action and we need it now,乌鸦传媒� Martin said in the statement. 乌鸦传媒淓very time I gather with families, we add new names to our lists of people killed by the police. The violence must end. Now.

乌鸦传媒淚 am walking with Laura Holland because I understand her pain 乌鸦传媒� as a mother who has lost children to police violence. Across this country 乌鸦传媒� from my Nuu-chah-nulth homelands to the Wolastoqey territory I live in 乌鸦传媒� Indigenous people are being killed by the police. Rodney Levi was killed just eight days after my daughter, and two years later we have added so many names.

乌鸦传媒淭he killings must end.乌鸦传媒�

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