Bigstone Band angered by RCMP shooting

Page 2

The shooting of a Bigstone band member by an RCMP officer has angered the chief of the Bigstone Cree Band and the man's mother.

Bigstone Chief Chuckie Beaver says the band will be filing a complaint with the RCMP public complaints' commission over the incident.

Lesley Gladue, 22, was shot after a high speed chase near Wabasca-Desmarais Aug. 24 after ha and an accomplice abandoned their car and attempted to run away.

Gladue was wounded in the left arm and ear form a shotgun blast.

An official media release from the police gave no indication Gladue was armed. However, a police official has said the officer, who shot Gladue thought he was holding a weapon.

Gladue's mother, Elsie, said she is furious over the shooting of her son.

"Why? He may be crippled now. They police are trying to say he was armed but he was not. Keys? When do keys look like a gun? she asked.

Gladue said she is happy with the way Chief Beaver and council are handling the incident.

She said she won't let the matter drop until she is satisfied.

"If I have to I will take whatever legal action that is necessary," Gladue said.

Leslie said he had no time to slow down before he was hit by a shotgun blast after he heard the officer shout telling him to freeze.

"All of a sudden I heard a band and then I was hit. I had a small Key-like chain but it was clenched in my fist," Gladue said in a telephone interview from the Wabasca hospital.

"We are definitely going to follow this up and find out exactly what happened," said Beaver, who added he does not want to wreck the band's working relationship with the RCMP.

"It has really put a strain on our relationship with the RCMP. And since the shooting everything is on hold until this incident can be resolved." he said.

Beaver said he and his council have met with RCMP officials, but little information can be released until the police finish their internal investigation.

"The police were not willing to disclose very much information to us. It bothers me because the public should know what's going on," he said.Beaver does not know if criminal charges will be laid against Gladue or his companion Clifford Cardinal.