A 40-year-old man from Poundmaker Cree Nation claims he was assaulted by three white males in the town of Battleford, Sask. Colby Tootoosis and his supporters want the three men held accountable for their actions.
According to a Facebook post written by Tootoosis, the incident occurred on Sunday, July 17. Tootoosis said he was unhooking a trailer he borrowed from his friends Eleanore Sunchild and Anthony Linklater in Battleford. He was accompanied by his six-year-old daughter who was waiting in the truck.
Tootoosis recalled seeing the three men approach him who, he claims, were aggressively demanding where their stolen property was. They said they were missing a phone, a bag and some pants and that a phone tracker app led them to where Tootoosis was.
“I did my best to defuse to the situation and responded with calmness and consideration,” stated Tootoosis in the Facebook post.
“It was then that the man that was talking punched (me) in the face. As I fell forward, the same man grabbed my braid and used it to keep me held to the ground. He then hit (me) in back of the head with his knee. Blood was spilling out of my nose and mouth.”
Tootoosis’ younger brother, Mylan, said he feels his brother was stereotyped after reviewing the footage.
“Every indicator on that video … they look like they were out on a hunt,” said Mylan. “My brother happened to pull up (in Sunchild and Linklater’s backyard) and they chose to target him.”
Sunchild and Linklater were not home at the time of the incident but when they heard about what happened, they returned. The couple reviewed the footage on their security cameras. As to the mens’ claims made to Tootoosis regarding the stolen items and their phone tracker app, Sunchild said the video footage showed someone riding a bike past, right before Tootoosis was assaulted. However, the matter is currently under investigation.
Sunchild said knowing someone assaulted a person she is close with in her own backyard is unsettling to her and her family.
“It’s really frightening (and) appalling. I can’t believe this happened at my house where my children live,” she said. “That gave them no right to come into my yard, which they clearly did, and assault Colby. That’s vigilante justice and that cannot be condoned.”
The Saskatchewan RCMP provided a statement to Global News and confirmed they are aware of the incident and are investigating.
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“At 6:50 p.m. Sunday, June 17, 2022, North Battleford RCMP were dispatched to a report of an assault that occurred on the 0-100 block of 17th Street East in Battleford,” the statement read. “Investigations take time to complete. Charges have not been laid at this time and North Battleford RCMP are continuing their investigation into this incident, including working to identify and locate the suspects involved.”
Police added the RCMP are aware of social media posts stating police spoke to the suspects on scene but stated that the North Battleford RCMP were dispatched to the scene at 6:50 p.m. and arrived shortly after and the suspects had already left the area.
Tootoosis, the FSIN and Sunchild are hoping for justice. They want the three men to be identified and held accountable for their actions. Furthermore, they want more dialogue within the community on the issue of racism against Indigenous Peoples.
“I am quite sickened and quite frankly, I’m disgusted that violence of this nature would happen in this community,” said Battleford Mayor Ames Leslie. “Watching the video and looking at the facts of this case, it looks like there was racism that was based in this.”
Leslie said bridging communities is a way to start addressing racism in their community and FSIN agrees.
“To be assaulted in that manner … does promote a lot of fear among our people,” said FSIN Vice-Chief Heather Bear. “You know, just that reality that we’re not safe. When we talk about missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, it’s men and boys too.”
FSIN describes Tootoosis as a respected First Nation man with leadership and treaty advocacy who does amazing work for First Nation communities.
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