Decision not to charge Quebec officials in son’s death linked to racial inequality, family says
Marie Mireille Bence says she and her family lost faith in the police and the justice system after learning the police officers who shot and killed her son in Repentigny, Que. will not be prosecuted.
“I will forever be devastated by the loss of my son because no one will ever be held responsible,” Bence said in a statement.
Jean René Junior Olivier, 37, was shot and killed on August 1, 2021 after police were called to his mother’s home in the community east of Montreal.
Because her son was hallucinating and holding a knife, which made her concerned for his safety, Bence called 911. She never expected her son to die.
The family is deeply saddened by this Directeur des poursuites criminelles et penales (DPCP) and said they felt injustice towards black people in an area where relations with the police are already strained.
In a statement, the family indicates the decision was made during Black History Month.
“We have found that in the majority of cases where black people are killed by police, no charges are brought against the officers involved,” the family said in a statement.
“We believe it is important to take steps to ensure that black and indigenous people are treated equally by the police and their rights are respected.”
The DPCP in Thursday’s decision insisted no crime had been committed when officers shot and killed Olivier. The decision was made after viewing video footage of the incident, it said. Although the video isn’t publicly available, the DPCP said it gave the family an opportunity to review it.
“Police officers are often placed in situations where they need to act quickly and make difficult decisions. In this context, they cannot be required to accurately measure the extent of the force used,” it said.
“In this case, the police intervention was lawful and based primarily on the police officers’ duty to ensure the safety of the citizens under their protection, as well as their own safety, from the moment the shooting began until the end of the shooting.”
The decision states that Olivier attacked the officers with a knife, but Bence claims her son dropped the knife and that shots were not necessary. She said she believes race played a role in her son’s death.
The family is calling for better investigative practices into police killings and the introduction of transparency measures in investigations.
“The tragedy affecting our family and the black community of Repentigny reminds us of the urgency to act,” the family said.
“We must join forces to find ways to combat the systemic racism that has been on the rise in the Repentigny police force for a number of years.”
For more stories about Black Canadians’ experiences—from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community—see Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.
