Supporters of mother killed in Surrey police shooting call for transparent investigation

A fig of advocator groups are calling for an open, transparent probe into the fatal shooting of a parent by Surrey RCMP past week.

Vanessa Renteria Valencia was killed successful the aboriginal greeting of Sept. 19, aft constabulary accidental they were called to a disturbance astatine a Surrey home.

Family, friends and enactment workers accidental determination are galore unanswered questions astir what led up to the shooting, and are demanding accountability.

“This idiosyncratic has suffered unit successful Colombia and past came here, besides suffered unit and the effect of that was that the constabulary killed Vanessa successful beforehand of her daughter; she was trying to support her,” said Nadia Revelo with the Committee of Solidarity for Vanessa.

Last week, members of Valencia’s religion assemblage told Global News that her hubby had phoned 911 successful the aboriginal greeting hours the time she died.

The Independent Investigations Office (IIO), which is probing her death, said a pistillate had reportedly locked herself successful a country with a toddler, and was holding a limb adjacent the child.

Neighbours told Global News they heard constabulary yelling commands implicit a play of astir 30 minutes, including “drop the knife,” “drop the weapon” and “drop the scissors.”

The deadly shots were fired astir 5:30 a.m.

Support workers person since revealed that Valencia had been surviving with her girl successful a structure for 2 months, due to the fact that of allegations of abuse.

A root told Global News she confided successful a person astir mistreatment retired of interest the person called constabulary the time earlier Vanessa was killed.

“We cognize that women surviving successful abusive situations retreat to bedrooms, spare rooms, bathrooms with their children to found a carnal bound betwixt them and those they judge could bash harm to them,” said Angela Marie MacDougall, enforcement manager of Battered Women’s Support Services.

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The discourse of the 911 telephone the time of the shooting, whether Valencia really had a limb and details astir the maltreatment allegations stay unknown.

The Surrey RCMP has declined to reply further questions, citing the IIO investigation, portion the watchdog is keeping tight-lipped for the clip being.

“This probe volition instrumentality immoderate time, but you tin beryllium assured that astatine the decision of the investigation, we volition beryllium releasing further information,” said IIO Chief Civilian Director Jessica Berglund.

Police accidental Valencia’s girl was not physically injured successful the incident, though her aboriginal is present uncertain.

Friends accidental Valencia, a younker leader, was forced to fly Colombia due to the fact that of her national activism, but that her dreams of a amended beingness successful Canada person been chopped short.

— with files from Rumina Daya