The Carrier Sekani Tribal Council is calling on the province to appoint a civilian agency to investigate why an 11-year-old aboriginal boy was Tasered by a Prince George RCMP officer.
The RCMP requested the West Vancouver Police Department conduct an independent investigation into the incident, which happened at approximately 5:30 p.m. on Thursday after the boy allegedly stabbed a 37-year-old man. Two detectives from West Vancouver have been in Prince George since late Sunday investigating the case.
"There is something systemically wrong with the RCMP training if members have to Taser an 11-year-old child," Chief David Luggi said in a press release. "We expect a full investigation into this incident and recommend to the solicitor general to follow through with [Justice Thomas] Braidwood's recommendation of a civil entity to investigate incidents such as these."
The Braidwood Inquiry was formed in 2008 following the death of Robert Dziekanski after being Tasered by RCMP at the Vancouver International Airport. In June, Braidwood made eight recommendations - including calling for the creation of a civilian agency to investigate police-related incidents in B.C.
"There needs to be a really good look at what's going on with the RCMP," Carrier Sekani Vice Chief Terry Teegee said. "Was there specific protocols followed in this case?"
Teegee said he is not aware if the boy is from a local First Nation, and only found out the boy is aboriginal through the office of B.C. Representative for Children and Youth Mary-Ellen Turpel Lafond.
The Carrier Sekani Tribal Council also called on Turpel-Lafond to conduct an investigation into the home where the boy was living at the time. The boy was in the care of the B.C. Ministry of Children and Family Development living at a staffed residential resource - a special care home with three staff at all times and no other children.
"Has the Ministry of Children and Family Development done enough to protect this child?" Teegee said. "What is most difficult to comprehend is that this is the youngest known individual... Tasered in Canada and we need answers as to why this happened."
Police and ministry officials have refused to identify the where the incident took place, however, would say it was in a rural area near Prince George.
