Family of Dartmouth homicide victim Rickey Walker continues to search for answers

It was 6 a.m. when Brandon Walker was awoken by police officers.

“Two investigative officers who pretty much asked my aunt and I to identify an ID that they found and they believed it was my uncle’s. They kinda explained to us exactly what was going on and why they were there and kind of the general specifics of what was going on,” Walker said.

“So they sat with us for less than 45 minutes, tell us what they were going to do, what kind of process it was, and after that, they were gone.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "So they sat with us for less than 45 minutes, tell us what they were going to do, what kind of process it was, and after that, they were gone."

READ MORE: Halifax police seeking help from public: Do you know who killed Rickey Walker?

Around 3 a.m. on Sept. 1, 2016, Halifax Regional Police found Rickey Walker on a path near John MacNeil Elementary School in north-end Dartmouth. He was taken to hospital where he died of his injuries.

After an autopsy, his death was ruled a homicide. He was 48 years old.

Now, two years after the death of his uncle, Brandon Walker is calling for more communication between police and victims’ families.

“They had provided us, you know, information for victim services and so on but after that, there really wasn’t any kind of proactive communication by the Halifax Regional Police. No contact to myself, my mother, my aunt,” Walker said on a pathway not far from where his uncle was found.

Police still haven’t released the details of the exact location Walker was found, where he was injured, or how many times he was shot.

Const. Amy Edwards, spokesperson for the HRP, says police do not give out information regarding ongoing investigations.

“Any of the details, the fine details are of evidentiary value so they’ll be used in court. So we can’t release any of that information that is part of an ongoing investigation or a case when it’s evidentiary that will eventually go to court.”

WATCH: Dartmouth comes together at CeaseFire march following death of Rickey Walker

2:25 Dartmouth comes together at CeaseFire march following death of Rickey Walker

Although he understands HRP’s policy, Walker is still frustrated by the lack of information he and his family have been able to get.

“The wound is going to be there anyway so why not at least let us know that they’re looking into it. Because right now, I’m under the impression that my uncle’s case is going to go cold and that is something we don’t want to happen.”

While the case goes unsolved, Walker is trying to use his uncle’s death as a catalyst for positive changes in his community. The pathways around where Rickey Walker was found are not lit, something Brandon wants to see addressed by Halifax Regional Council.

“We’re not 9-to-5 people anymore. There’s a lot of people that work late jobs — call centre work. Just up the road, I worked in a call centre and the latest shift I worked was 12 a.m. There would be many times that I would be walking home — through Highfield Park mind you — it’s lit. However, when you’re walking through here, there’s not much light,” he said.

READ MORE: Halifax police look for person of interest in Rickey Walker homicide

Walker added that he has discussed the idea of pathways with Coun. Tony Mancini who is receptive to the plan.

But right now, Walker is asking anyone with information about his uncle’s death to come forward.

“Somebody is out there responsible for this and they need to be brought to justice.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Somebody is out there responsible for this and they need to be brought to justice."