Family of Maple Ridge shooting victim presents petition to police watchdog
Credit to Author: Jennifer Saltman| Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2020 01:18:56 +0000
It would have been Kyaw Din’s 55th birthday on Thursday, but instead of celebrating with cake and gifts, his siblings delivered a petition to B.C.’s police watchdog asking for a thorough investigation of his shooting death and justice for their brother.
“We need an answer, not only family, the public across Canada, they deserve the true answer why police killed my brother,” said Thant Din, Kyaw’s older brother.
The Independent Investigations Office is looking into the case, and Kyaw’s family is demanding that those involved in the shooting be charged with murder.
Kyaw was shot in his bedroom in the Maple Ridge home he shared with two of his siblings on the afternoon of Aug. 11, 2019, after officers responded to what was termed a “domestic incident.”
At the time, Ridge Meadows RCMP said in a news release that there were three people in the home when they arrived, one of whom reportedly had a knife. At some point during the incident, an officer used a Taser-like device on Kyaw, but it was not successful, and another officer fired their gun at him. Paramedics were called, but Kyaw died in the home.
Kyaw’s siblings dispute the police account of what happened.
Yin Yin Din, who lived with her brother, said she called police, as she had many times before, to bring Kyaw to the hospital. She said she trusted police to take care of him.
He had schizophrenia and was usually good about taking his medication, but had been off it for a few days. She said he was confused and they needed help to hospitalize him, but no one was in any danger.
“My brother was not violent, he was not armed, he was just peacefully, quietly, sitting in his room,” Yin Yin said. “When the police came they saw that my brother was not a threat to himself or a threat to anybody.”
Hla Myaing Din speaking to the media about their brother who was shot and killed by police.
Yin Yin said she saw her brother when police opened the bedroom door, and he was sitting in a chair holding a bottle, not a knife, when he was Tasered and then shot. She said he was shot three times: in the face, neck and chest.
Two brothers and a sister had been called to the house to help translate for Kyaw, whose first language was Burmese, and calm him. He spoke little English.
Hla Myaing Din, Kyaw’s older sister, said police didn’t wait for her and her brothers to arrive before engaging with Kyaw, even though they were minutes away. They believe that if police had waited, Kyaw would still be alive.
“Without a translator, they shoot him,” she said. “This I’m very concerned and very sad about.”
Thant said his brother respected police — he often bought police memorabilia and had it in his room — and never would have threatened an officer.
“I know my brother’s character. He was not the kind of person who was going to attack police,” Thant said. “He truly admired police, so attacking police is out of character. That’s why we need a true answer.”
Kyaw was described as kind, loving and generous, and his family is struggling without him.
“He is not here anymore because he was murdered for no reason,” Yin Yin said.
Kyaw’s siblings say that in the six months since the shooting, no charges have been recommended, and they have received very little information about the case, including the name of the officer who fired the gun.
IIO chief of investigations Gayle Hogan received the petition, which garnered hundreds of signatures, from Din’s family.
“We always listen to the family. We understand their grief and the issues that they have. The petition, we’ll have a look at it, however, the chief civilian director Ron McDonald makes his decision on the evidence that we have,” said Hogan.
She said investigators have collected evidence and conducted interviews, and McDonald is reviewing the case. He will either make a charge recommendation to the Crown, who will decide whether to proceed with a criminal case, or make a public report.
“The investigation is coming towards an end and I have told the family that we will be able to give them some information. I’m sure we won’t be in a final decision making, but I told them this morning that I would give them an update in one month, and we will endeavour to do that,” Hogan said.
CLICK HERE to report a typo.
Is there more to this story? We’d like to hear from you about this or any other stories you think we should know about. Email vantips@postmedia.com.