Hundreds call for justice after fatal Calgary police shooting

A week after Calgary police shot and killed a Black man in Forest Lawn, hundreds of people took part in a rally calling for justice.

Latjor Tuel was killed after police responded to an assault call in the southeast on Feb. 19.

There were reports of a bystander being assaulted and when officers arrived, CPS said Tuel was found carrying weapons.

Police say they tried to de-escalate the situation peacefully but about 20 minutes after arriving there was a confrontation and Tuel was shot several times.

While CPS noted less-lethal rounds and a taser were initially used, police tactics have come under sharp criticism – especially over the use of a police dog, which was reported injured.

Family and friends have said Tuel was suffering from mental health issues at the time, and critics say there should have been greater efforts to deal with that instead of resorting to lethal force.

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The killing sent shockwaves through the local Sudanese community, as Tuel came to Canada from the African country where he served as a child soldier.

“He’s a community leader, a selfless man, and we want to do this to honour his memory,” said Charles Odame-Ankrah.

“People now will be scared to call the police,” said a woman at the rally. “They need to understand mental health.

“Whenever somebody calls, they need to analyze the case, not just come and shoot,” she added.

Tuel’s sister was also at the rally. She cried out on the steps in front of city hall, calling him a “hero” and denouncing the police for killing him

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Part of the backlash against police is also related to how the scene was handled before and after shots were fired. Meanwhile, questions have been raised as to what this will mean going forward for people who already don’t trust the police.

“Police are focused on the shooting, the shooting, the shooting,” said Odame-Ankrah.

“We are complaining about the behaviour of the police before and after the shooting,” he continued.

“Our brother wasn’t treated fairly when the police arrived, and when he was killed they left his body there for over six hours. That’s not how you treat a human being, everyone deserves dignity and our brother did not get that.”

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Other members of Tuel’s family also met with Mayor Jyoti Gondek at city hall, after she expressed concern over the shooting.

1/3 Loss of life in our city is tragic at any time, but the loss of Latjor Tuel is particularly devastating. Mr. Tuel was loved by friends & family, and was a well-known member of the Sudanese community in Calgary. He was in crisis & we are left with so many questions.

— Jyoti Gondek (@JyotiGondek) February 23, 2022

There is hope that this rally and such a strong showing of support will drive more significant change.

“I really hope there is, I don’t know if there will be for sure. I’ve seen a lot of situations where no justice has been made, but this time I really hope that this is enough to do something,” added another rally-goer.

“This is the exact thing we’ve been talking about for years, that Blacks are treated differently when it comes to law enforcement,” Odame-Ankrah said. “You can see how it has shaken the entire community.”

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) continues to investigate the shooting to determine if the use of force was justified.