Friday marks the anniversary of Chantel Moore’s death.
Moore, a 26-year-old woman from Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation in British Columbia, was shot and killed by an Edmundston police officer who was called in to do a wellness check on her.
READ MORE: ‘It’s not fair’: Family of Chantel Moore calls for justice on steps of B.C. legislature
Police say she came outside with a knife, uttering threats.
Her family says that doesn’t make sense – nor warrant the circumstances under which she died.
“I don’t understand, in any way, why anyone needs to be shot five times,” says Judith Sayers, who has been serving as a family spokesperson since last summer.
She says, above all else, Moore’s family remains focused on pushing for change in how police interact with Indigenous communities Canada-wide.
Efforts, she says, that have met many roadblocks.
“It’s really hard to get people in high places to respond,” says Sayers.
“One of the things that we wanted was a review of wellness checks … Minister Bill Blair basically told us there’s no money.”
Moore’s death came at a contentious time for police relations globally.
Little over a week prior, George Floyd was killed by a police officer in Minneapolis – sparking a mass outcry, particularly by Black, Indigenous and People of Colour, over police brutality and racism.
Two days after that, Regis Korchinski-Paquet died during a police interaction in Toronto.
And just eight days after Moore’s death, Rodney Levi was shot and killed by a member of the RCMP in Sunny Corner, N.B.
“What has changed?” asks Sayers,. “I think we need to ask ourselves, people who live in Canada, what has changed?”
Not much, she says.
READ MORE: Quebec watchdog completes its probe into police-involved death of Chantel Moore
Quebec’s Bureau of Independent Investigations conducted a review of the circumstances surrounding Moore’s death – which they say wrapped in December and was handed off to New Brunswick’s public prosecution service.
No word of next steps have come in the months since.
To honour Chantel Moore, her family asks people to wear yellow on June 4, to reflect her mantra of “stay golden.”
A virtual memorial is set to be featured on the “Honouring ChantelMoore” Facebook page.
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