Family of RCMP Shooting Victim Welcomes Inquest

Family of RCMP Shooting Victim Welcomes Inquest

Tuesday, December 05, 2006 at 15:19

A councillor from the Muskowekwan First Nation says he is relieved an inquest has been called into the death of a fellow band member.

Arnold Bigsky says emotions on the reserve range from disgust to anger over how the case of Delbert Kenneth Pelletier was handled by the RCMP.

It has been just over two weeks since the 44-year-old man died in a hail of gunfire after engaging police in an eight-hour standoff on the reserve.

Bigsky, who was also Pelletier’s cousin, says questions need to be answered, especially the issue of whether it was necessary to kill Pelletier.

He says Pelletier was trying to live a clean life and was free of drugs and alcohol.

Bigsky notes relations with the Punnichy RCMP are at an all-time low.