Thunder Bay Police Investigating Who Wrote ‘I Killed Those Kids’ on Train Car

APTN National News | June 8, 2017

Thunder Bay police say it is investigating who wrote “I killed those kids’ in black marker on an old train car near the site of where the body of Jethro Anderson was found in 2000.

APTN National News knows this because on Thursday a Thunder Bay detective called APTN reporter Kenneth Jackson, who found the writing and tweeted a picture of it Wednesday evening.

Det. John Read asked Jackson if he could meet with an investigator at police headquarters and give a statement recorded on camera.

Jackson declined saying he had nothing to offer, explaining he saw the writing, took a picture and tweeted it.

Train yard confession… pic.twitter.com/hVZhvsVR6x

— Kenneth Jackson (@afixedaddress) June 8, 2017

“You found information about somebody killing kids. That’s pretty important information don’t you think?” said Read.

When Jackson explained again he had nothing to offer, Read said it’s policy to have people who find information in a potential homicide to give a recorded statement.

“You are potentially a witness to something incredibly important,” said Read.

Jackson explained he didn’t see who wrote it, or when it was written, but did say he never touched the train car so perhaps police could check for fingerprints.

The writing is on an old VIA passenger car next to Kaministiquia River where Anderson, 15, was found. It was still there Thursday afternoon.

His death was the first of seven First Nations youth that were the focus of an inquest that wrapped up last year. The inquest ruled his death as undetermined.

Family said it took Thunder Bay police days to launch an investigation into Anderson’s disappearance back in 2000. Two more First Nation youth were pulled for waterways last month: Tammy Keeash, 17, and Josiah Begg, 14.

Keeash’s mother said she doesn’t accept that her daughter drowned in the Neebing McIntyre floodway as there was no water where her body was found and is it is full of heavy reads.

Keeash also had markings on her face and hands as reported Tuesday by APTN.

Police said Wednesday they have examined the evidence and don’t suspect foul play but the case remains open.

kjackson@aptn.ca

[SOURCE]

Thunder Bay Police Rejects First Nation Leaders’ Call for RCMP Probe of River Deaths

APTN National News | June 7, 2017

The acting chief of the beleaguered Thunder Bay police force rejected a call from First Nation leaders for the RCMP to step in and investigate three waterway deaths in the city.

Thunder Bay police acting Chief Sylvie Hauth said during a press conference Wednesday that she did not believe it to be “practical” or “necessary” to call in the Mounties.

The Ontario government has said only Hauth, as acting police chief, has the power to call in the RCMP.

Hauth became acting chief after the Ontario Provincial Police charged Thunder Bay police Chief J.P. Levesque with obstruction of justice and breach of trust after he allegedly disclosed confidential information about the city’s mayor Keith Hobbs.

First Nation leaders have said the local Indigenous community has no confidence in the Thunder Bay police or the OPP to investigate the deaths of Indigenous people.

Nishnawbe Aski Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler, Grand Council Treaty 3 Ogichidaa Francis Kavanaugh and Rainy River First Nations Chief Jim Leonard last week called on the RCMP to investigate the deaths of: Tammy Keeash, 17, who was living in a group home and found dead in the Neebing-McIntyre Floodway on May 7; Josiah Begg, 14, who was found dead in the McIntyre River on May 18; and Stacy DeBungee, who was found dead in the McIntyre River on Oct. 19, 2015.

The chiefs could not be immediately reached for comment.

Hauth said the OPP completed a review of how the city police handled the DeBungee investigation on May 15. The Thunder Bay police said earlier Wednesday there were no plans to release the report.

The Thunder Bay police botched the handling of DeBungee’s death investigation, according to private investigator David Perry, a former senior Toronto homicide detective. Thunder Bay detectives shut the file on DeBungee, declaring it to be accidental, before the conclusion of an autopsy examination.

Perry discovered DeBungee’s debit card was used after his death and that his identification cards were strewn on the river bank near where he was found mixed in with the identification material of another individual who has not yet been found.

Hauth said the OPP review now also extends to the Keeash and Begg deaths.

Serious questions still remain around the deaths of three of seven First Nation youth who were the subject of a coroner’s inquest which ended in June 2016. Five of the seven youth died in Thunder Bay’s waterways and three of those deaths were found to be “undetermined” by the coroner’s jury.

Perry told APTN it’s highly possible foul play may be behind some of these river deaths.

The Thunder Bay police now says it is investigating whether Indigenous youth are being targeted.

[SOURCE]

BIA Agent caught on Video Hitting Female Water Protector with Baton during Arrest in Standing Rock

BIA agent Attacks female Water Protector with Baton during Arrest in Standing Rock

BIA agent caught hitting unarmed female with baton and arresting her as Tribe says ‘No Forcible Removal’ 

By Black Powder | RPM Staff, Feb 06 2017 • Updated

Standing Rock Sioux Tribe officials said this weekend they were working with federal authorities to close the Dakota Access Pipeline camps for safety reasons.

On Friday, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) said the agency had sent “enforcement support and would assist the tribe” in closing the protest camps within its reservation boundaries.

RELATED: 

• U.S. Army Corps Moves To Close Dakota Access Pipeline Protest Camp Feb. 22

But Tribal officials responded over the weekend that while they wanted people to close the camps and leave the reservation, they did not want them arrested or ousted by force.

“We want to stress that we are cleaning the camps, not clearing them,” the tribe posted on Facebook on Saturday. “We do not support or endorse any ‘raids.’ We have not asked for law enforcement to assist in clearing camps and in fact have repeatedly told them there will be no forcible removal.”

On Saturday evening, a video emerged out of Standing Rock which showed a female water protector beaten by a Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) officer with his baton during an arrest. The unarmed woman is seen walking away from a BIA agent when he starts to hit her with the weapon. The woman can be heard yelling at the officer during the attack “Stop brutalizing me”

Will Barton uploaded the video to his Facebook page shortly after the incident occurred on February 4. 2017.

The altercation took place along the road going into Sacred Stone Camp.

Three people were said to be arrested.

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe put out a Press Release yesterday, including more information about the incident. 

“The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe denounces any violence and it is very important to maintain peace on all sides. Although we don’t know all the facts, the Bureau is conducting an investigation.”

“From information provided thus far, we understand that a tribal citizen of the Cannonball community called the police due to individuals blocking road access to the caller’s home. When law enforcement arrived at the scene, officers were subsequently pepper sprayed by the individuals at the roadblock. This led to an altercation and arrests at the scene. The safety of Tribal citizens remains our top priority and we denounce all forms of violence.”

After months of protests, both tribal officials and residents in the town of Cannon Ball, have asked those opposed to completion of the controversial, 1,170-mile pipeline to leave.

The Standing Rock Tribe has asked camps to disband by Feb. 22, before the spring flooding season.

Supporters Gather Outside Winnipeg Remand Centre To Protest Death Of Bradley Errol Green

Brandon Wyatt Green outside the Winnipeg Remand Centre, where he protested his brother’s recent death on Friday.

Green, 26, experienced two epileptic seizures while in custody at the centre on May 1, later dying

May 13, 2016

Nearly 50 people gathered at the Winnipeg Remand Centre on Friday to protest the recent death of an inmate.

Bradley Errol Green, 26, experienced two epileptic seizures while in custody at the centre on May 1. He later died.

RELATED:

• Death Investigated After Winnipeg Remand Centre Denies Epilepsy Drugs To Inmate

Both Green’s wife, Rochelle Pranteau, and a fellow inmate told CBC News that Green had asked for his epilepsy medication for three days. That request was denied.

Rochelle Pranteau and Errol Green have three children together and are expecting their fourth. (Courtesy Rochelle Pranteau)

“I want justice … I want those guys to be locked away unless they want to say sorry into my face and I’ll accept that, too,” said Green’s younger brother, Brandon Wyatt Green.

“My heart bleeds for my brother and he’s up there with God, our Creator.”

Brandon Wyatt Green said he feels bad for others who have passed away at the Winnipeg Remand Centre, too.

RELATED:

• Activists Call For Inquest Into Death Of Winnipeg Remand Centre Inmate

He thanked those who showed their support for his family by standing outside the centre, many holding posters that read, ‘Justice for Errol’ and, ‘Wrongful Death.’

A provincial government investigation into Green’s death is pending.

[SOURCE]