Trena Soosay- Nanemahoo sits on a picnic table holding photos of her son. She calls him her “good son”, and talks about how caring and funny he was.
“My son made it home, made it to heaven… and I trust that,” Soosay-Nanemahoo said.
“He was always thinking of others, feeding them laughing, joking no matter who you were, he liked to laugh.”
On September 1st, Jeremy Soosay, 27, was going to a convenience store with his girlfriend in Samson Cree Nation. They were picking up chips and pop for their family when Jeremey was shot. He was taken to hospital but died.
Soosay-Nanemahoo said her son was in a gang but left, and has taken steps to better his life.
“He said mom, I’m going to get better, we are going to get a place, I’m going to do the things I need to get on the right track,” she said.
“He dropped his colours… He dropped them, he was clean.”
21-year-old Shayden Trey Rain has been charged with second-degree murder.
Jeremey’s girlfriend, Marlys Firingstoney-Soosay said they met about a year ago, and it was love at first sight. She describes Jeremey as one of a kind. Someone who was always there for his family and friends.
“He was doing so good, and for him to just be taken away just like for nothing… It changed my life forever.”
“We just got approved for our first home the day before his passing,” she said. “We were both excited we were going to get our own home, and we were approved.”
“(We) were in the wrong place, at the wrong time.”
Firingstoney-Soosay said after Soosay passed away, she took her kids and left Samson Cree Nation.
“We had to flee for our safety.”
Eight days after this incident, another homicide in Maskwacis. 22-year-old Jordie Buffalo-Crier’s body was found in a ditch along a rural road in Samson Cree Nation. RCMP have released details on how he died. 20-year-old Kieran Keith Lighting has been charged with second degree murder.
Both Soosay-Nanemahoo and Firingstoney-Soosay are calling on Samson Cree Nation chief and council to do more to prevent violent crimes.
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“In (my son’s) death, nothing will be in vain. I pray that people will start speaking up,” Soosay-Nanemahoo said.
“We all deserve to live a peaceful life.”
Between January and August, Maskwacis RCMP say there have been 1055 crimes against people, a 19 per cent increase from the same in 2021. RCMP say many of the crimes against people involve guns.
There have been four homicide in the community, double from year’s total.
Luci Johnson is a front line court worker in the community. She said it’s heavy on her spirits.
“I wake up and I go, what am I going to hear about my community?”
“We get done with a murder file, and we are on to another murder file that one is done we are one to another one where does it stop,” Johnson said.
“Their last minutes of life are so violent and it’s just unfathomable what the families are going to go through.”
Johnson said she has also had close encounters.
“I went to visit my daughter, and we heard an uncommon noise of people driving by and we heard that our neighbours gates were hit by a vehicle and thrown open… We heard shooting like boom boom boom, and that is not too far, it was too close of comfort for us.”
Maskwacis has a history of gang related crimes. Inspector Leanna MacMillan said the recent violence is different. It’s not organized.
“The individuals that are committing these kinds of offences may have affiliations or associations with some gangs, they’re not committing offenses on behalf of the gangs.”
“I don’t think we are in a similar place we were before,” Insp. MacMillan said.
“When you look back in 2012, 2014, there was a lot of gang violence, you’re seeing open air shootings and you’re not seeing that anymore.”
Insp. MacMillan said 10 per cent of these individuals are committing 90 per cent of the offences.
“We do target those individuals within our community, and outside of our community.”
Insp. MacMillan said the RCMP is working to prevent crimes. By using hub tables to bring together mental health supports. Officers also go to school to talk to youth about relationships and what healthy ones look like. She also said the RCMP and the relationship with chief and council has improved, and they will come together to find ways to address issues.
“After these two horrific events that we’ve seen within our community, right away within a week the Chief of Samson Cee Nation brought together a committee to deal with how are we going to target this and brought us into the fold as well,” Insp. MacMillan said.
In a statement to Global News, Samson Cree Nation Acting Chief Laurie Buffalo said they will look into how to improve supports to prevent violent crime.
“This has been an incredibly difficult time, and the impact has been immeasurable. We extend our deepest and sincerest condolences to the family. We continue to keep each of you in our prayers.”
“Samson Cree Nation leadership, chief and council, the administration, programs and services have come together to make a thorough review and development of truly closing the gaps approach. It’s around crisis response, mental health, early intervention and prevention.
In order to do this, we have to have a serious review of our supports, in all of the supports provided and the colonial policies in which contribute to the on going marginalization. subjugation and discrimination of our most vulnerable. We do this by fully implementing Treaty No. 6, 1876, including the medicine chest health clause, the United Nations declaration on Indigenous peoples, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions calls to action. In addition to all of this we also plan to fully implement the Samson Cree Nation community strategic plan.”
The community also offers a mobile mental unit to help anyone who is struggling, along with out supports.
“I think it’s going to take a lot of time for the reconciliation piece, but we are willing to put the effort in to help the youth and to help the community,” Insp. MacMillan said.
As for Soosay-Nanemahoo, it’s too late. She just hopes the time it takes doesn’t mean more pain.
“He was just on his way to get munchies.”
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