Friends, family speak out after fatal police shooting in Campbell River
The family of a man shot by police earlier this week in Campbell River is speaking out, saying guns never should have been drawn.
RCMP opened fire on Jared Lowndes in the parking lot of the Tim Hortons in the 2000 block of South Island Highway on Thursday morning.
Police had attempted to stop Lowndes on an outstanding warrant associated with his vehicle, and they said in a news release after the shooting that he had failed to stop for them.
When they located his vehicle in the Tim Hortons parking lot later, they boxed him in and sent a police dog named Gator after him. Lowndes stabbed and killed Gator right before officers shot him. The dog's handler was also injured in the altercation.
The Indigenous man's friends and supporters say officers didn't need to call in a police dog and didn't need to use lethal force.
"There was no need to shoot someone like Jared in the head like that," said Krista Hackett, the mother of the slain man's two daughters.
“They are going to have a life long, you know, emptiness in them, because they lost their father," she told CTV News Vancouver Island.
Lee Hackett, a friend of Lowndes, blames police for escalating the situation.
“They should have approached him with caution," he said. "They shouldn’t have tried to box him in and surround him, and they definitely shouldn't have sent a dog after him like that."
"Jared was stuck in that car already," added Ashleaha Gardiner. "They had no reason to bring that dog out, at all. Jared didn't have to get shot in the face three times, either."
The Independent Investigations Office, which looks into all incidents involving police officers in British Columbia that result in death or serious harm to a member of the public, has been called to investigate Lowndes's death.
The IIO is tasked with determining whether the officers' use of force in the incident was justified.
With files from CTV News Vancouver Island’s Scott Cunningham
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Walking pneumonia is surging in Canada. Is it peaking now?
CTVNews.ca spoke with various medical experts to find out the latest situation with the typically mild walking pneumonia in their area and whether parents should be worried.
Minister calls GST holiday, $250 cheques for 18 million Canadians 'a targeted approach'
Women and Gender Equality and Youth Minister Marci Ien is calling the federal government's proposed GST holiday and $250 rebate cheques a 'targeted approach' to address affordability concerns.
'Her shoe got sucked into the escalator': Toronto family warns of potential risk of wearing Crocs
A Toronto family is speaking out after their 10-year-old daughter's Crocs got stuck in an escalator, ripping the entire toe area of the clog off.
Ancient meets modern as a new subway in Greece showcases archeological treasures
Greece's second largest city, Thessaloniki, is getting a brand new subway system that will showcase archeological discoveries made during construction that held up the project for decades.
Quebec man, 81, gets prison sentence after admitting to killing wife with Alzheimer's disease
An 81-year-old Quebec man has been sentenced to prison after admitting to killing his wife with Alzheimer's disease.
Canada Post quarterly loss tops $300M as strike hits second week -- and rivals step in
Canada Post saw hundreds of millions of dollars drain out of its coffers last quarter, due largely to its dwindling share of the parcels market, while an ongoing strike continues to batter its bottom line.
'Immoral depravity': Two men convicted in case of frozen migrant family in Manitoba
A jury has found two men guilty on human smuggling charges in a case where a family from India froze to death in Manitoba while trying to walk across the Canada-U.S. border.
Prime Minister Trudeau attends Taylor Swift's Eras Tour in Toronto with family
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is a Swiftie. His office confirmed to CTV News Toronto that he and members of his family are attending the penultimate show of Taylor Swift's 'The Eras Tour' in Toronto on Friday evening.
Trump supporters review-bomb B.C. floral shop by accident
A small business owner from B.C.'s Fraser Valley is speaking out after being review-bombed by confused supporters of U.S. president-elect Donald Trump this week.