Family of Man Shot By Police Says He Was "Executed"

[DonLever]

From the CBC:

The sister of Peter de Groot, the man shot and killed by police in Slocan, B.C., said today that her brother had been "executed" and that the family was considering filing a civil suit.


Danna de Groot was speaking at a news conference in Vancouver, surrounded by members of her family and their lawyer, Cameron Ward.

In an emotional and lengthy statement, she detailed her many efforts to persuade the police to accept her help in finding her brother, the frustration she felt at misinformation being spread about him and the apparent lack of interest shown in bringing about a peaceful conclusion.

'Ashamed to be Canadian'

"We are outraged," she said. "For the first time ever, we are ashamed to be Canadian."

The de Groot family, she said, is "an average Canadian family. If this can happen to us, this can happen to you."

She described her "bright, intelligent" brother as a man who had gradually rebuilt his life after a workplace accident in 1994 and then, three years later, a massive brain aneurysm. He also had suffered six post-surgery grand mal seizures, in which he broke several bones, she said.

Peter de Groot was shot and killed by police last week. His sister is calling it an execution. (Facebook)

He hated taking painkillers because they clouded his thinking and, through diet, managed to reduce his seizures and wean himself from the medication. His peripheral vision and his senses remained compromised by the aneurysm.

She said her brother "worked harder than anyone can imagine" in order to be able to live independently. He did not, she said, have PTSD, schizophrenia, take drugs or drink alcohol. He was one of seven siblings.

Life outside on a small holding suited him, she said. He liked living somewhere that had no cellphone reception.

'It was easy to judge him'

The family had heard about him experiencing some problems with his neighbours, something, de Groot said, a lot of people have. But he looked different, and acted differently.

"His body was ravaged over time; it was easy to judge him."

They were told he was alleged to have shoved someone on Oct. 7.

Danna de Groot, surrounded by her family, says that her brother Peter was 'executed' by police in Slocan, B.C. (Dan Burritt/ Twitter)

That same morning, Danna de Groot said, a worker with the SPCA arrived at 9.15 a.m. PT with feed for her brother's animals, having heard he might have financial problems and be running short.

"Peter refused because he had enough," she said. The SPCA worker agreed, and "left without incident." The worker later described Peter de Groot as calm and his usual self.

What happened next, she said, was a gross over-reaction on the part of the police.

She said three RCMP officers, in three separate vehicles, were sent in response to the alleged shove. The officers drove onto the property and created a blockade. They stayed behind their cars and got out their guns.

Peter's worry, she said — which, owing to his medical issues could present more emphatically than is usual — may have been perceived as paranoia.

"Which, it turns out, was warranted."

The police, de Groot alleges, opened fire on her brother, knowing he had a small collection of guns.

"He ran away, and we consider any shots he may have fired to have been in self-defence."

What happened next, according to de Groot, was extreme and unwarranted, and could have been avoided had the family been listened to and allowed to help.

After being alerted to the situation by her sister in Amsterdam, de Groot said, her first reaction was to call the lead RCMP negotiator and ask if she should go to Slocan. She was told no. She asked what the plan was and was told, "to bring the incident to conclusion."

"I said that I thought the manhunt was excessive, that Peter would feel as though he was being ganged up on, and that I could talk to him."

'Why were we ignored?'

She called a law firm in the Slocan area and was told to start driving. Ten hours later she was in Castlegar, and was interviewed by police for two and a half hours, until around 3.30 a.m.

She told them Peter wasn't a violent person and repeatedly offered to walk into the bush to get him. She asked for a statement to be released to the media, police and community to correct the misinformation she felt was being circulated about her brother, an exchange that was repeated several times over the coming days.

"Why were we ignored and our efforts resisted?"

On the day Peter was shot and killed, de Groot said, she was told the manhunt was being downgraded to low priority. She left the police station feeling that things were finally calming down.

Driving through town, she ran into SUVs containing police dressed in "combat gear," she said.

"They had no interest in me helping. I said, 'I hope I find him before you do.'

"In retrospect, I wish I had begged them not to kill him."

Not long after, her brother was dead, shot and killed by police while lying down with a gun pointed toward the door of the cabin, she said.

"Four days in the bush without food or water. He had not committed any serious crime. He was weak and could have been sleeping on his front with his gun. The ERT 'interaction' was that they open fired and killed my brother.

"He was executed."

The family plans to start a fund or foundation in Peter de Groot's name between now and the inquest, the conclusions of which may prompt them to file a civil suit, she said, and ended her statement with the words of Henry David Thoreau: "All good things are wild and free."

.

[2SKATES1STICK]

Police didn't let my brother talk to people he cared about in the minutes leading up to his suicide. Some dumb ass people with no "common" sense with badges.

thankfully there are good ones out there too, but its a crap'shoot'.

[RUPERTKBD]

It's hard to tell what happened from that article...

Was there a physical confrontation with the SPCA worker, or not? If not, why was the RCMP called in? Was the man armed or not? Did he fire at police, or not?

I have no problem believing that the police may have overreacted, but it seems to me that we're not getting the whole story here.

[Mike Vanderhoek]

So the police responded to a call of the victim " shoving " a neighbour, opened fire on the victim, he shot back while running away. The victim was hiding in a cabin asleep holding a gun the police entered and shot him ?

Am missing something ? Id like to know the details on this one.

[DIBdaQUIB]

Well...I happen to live not too far from where this happened. I was golfing when the cops started flying past the course, coming in from all over the interior to deal with what I thought must have been a threat to national security. Numerous SUVs with lights flashing racing through residential streets at 120kms/hr just as school was getting out...it's nothing short of a miracle no-one was killed.

There were approximately 60 RCMP brought in for this along with helicopters, a SWAT team and an armoured assault vehicle..really?!

A couple days after the incident, I got to speak with a resident of Slocan who was there when all this happened. He heard the shots and saw the RCMP activity. He also knew De Groot and said no-one in Slocan was afraid of him while this was going on, knowing he would not harm anyone (which he didn't ). They were far more intimidated by the RCMP who basically instituted a Police State and threatened to arrest locals who disobeyed orders, barred them from returning to their homes, stopped them from going to work, etc.

This guy and his friends offered to show the police all the possible hiding places Peter might use as they were familiar with them and the police refused their help.

Having heard the shots and seen the police movements at the time of the original incident, he says the official story of the RCMP being pinned down in their cars by deGroot doesn't fit except to justify the massive man-hunt for a potential cop-killer.

The man was in a cabin for days by himself and had not harmed anyone. He was killed without having fired a shot. This appears to be a similar case to the kid in Toronto who was gunned down while he was alone on a street car with a knife surrounded by police. Not a threat to anyone but had to be taken down commando style being shot 8 times including, with some shots fired after he was already on the ground.

Based on the local guy's comments, this was not about local safety but an exercise for the RCMP to flex their muscle and execute someone for having the audacity to fire a shot at an empty cruiser. This last statement is contrary to the official story which states the cops were in their cars when the cruiser was shot at but locals cry BS to that. From what they saw, deGroot never shot at an officer.

Maybe the inquest will shed some light but the locals aren't convinced. Local sentiment based on what they saw was that deGroot was never going to come out of this alive.

It certainly begs the question as to how interested the RCMP were in a peaceful outcome. If deGroot had taken a hostage, lengthy negotiations would have taken place in an effort to get an outcome with no one killed. The fact he didn't (though he could have) left the door open for maximum force to be used and it was.

How sad.

[grandmaster]

So the police responded to a call of the victim " shoving " a neighbour, opened fire on the victim, he shot back while running away. The victim was hiding in a cabin asleep holding a gun the police entered and shot him ?

Am missing something ? Id like to know the details on this one.

This.

None of us know and the family doesn't either. But now they are dollar signs and hire the cockroach lawyer Cameron Ward.

Its always their son or daughter can do no wrong....

Wait for the inquiries and investigations to end for a true statement of facts

[-DLC-]

It's hard to tell what happened from that article...

Was there a physical confrontation with the SPCA worker, or not? If not, why was the RCMP called in? Was the man armed or not? Did he fire at police, or not?

I have no problem believing that the police may have overreacted, but it seems to me that we're not getting the whole story here.

I watched the entire interview...it was painfully sad.

The SPCA worker was reportedly a friend/acquaintance/familiar. He was taking food to Peter, but Peter reportedly had some and so that was the end of it...it was a peaceful exchange by the sister's report. Sounds like neighbours may have been concerned about the animals' welfare and a check was necessary, but things were found to be ok.

I have never heard a statement that was so articulate and filled with pain. It seems that the family was there, begging to intervene, but was led astray and, basically, ignored in that. The police had been called in relation to a different incident, wherein Peter had shoved someone (he didn't get along with neighbours...then again, I don't always either..hope I don't get shot because of it!!). Not really a reason for a manhunt? There is a very lengthy story and she told her side of it...definitely needs some answers on behalf of police.

While things were painted in a "dangerous offender on the loose" way, this gives another, completely different perspective and I'd imagine the truth is somewhere in the middle. But someone died and that deserves careful scrutiny.

I can say, without having details to form a good judgement here, that I'm swaying toward "too much force". The police's first aim should be to diffuse, not escalate situations...running around in pursuit and trying to ambush a guy doesn't really play into that.

The sister wanted to be involved...to reach out to her brother and should have been given opportunity to do so. The best case scenario would be to quietly apprehend him but they took the full on assault mode by the sound of things. That puts the public at risk in itself. Work with people, not against. them. But again, there may be details I'm not privy to..I'm just basing it on what I heard from her.

[Mr. Ambien]

Stupid police.. they shot Groot when they should have shot that annoying raccoon.

[The Bookie]

A couple days after the incident, I got to speak with a resident of Slocan who was there when all this happened. He heard the shots and saw the RCMP activity. He also knew De Groot and said no-one in Slocan was afraid of him while this was going on, knowing he would not harm anyone (which he didn't ). They were far more intimidated by the RCMP who basically instituted a Police State and threatened to arrest locals who disobeyed orders, barred them from returning to their homes, stopped them from going to work, etc.

.......

Maybe the inquest will shed some light but the locals aren't convinced. Local sentiment based on what they saw was that deGroot was never going to come out of this alive.

This is pretty similar to what I heard from two friends who live in Slocan fwiw.

[Monty]

Stupid police.. they shot Groot when they should have shot that annoying raccoon.

A joke that will truly stand the test of time.

[RUPERTKBD]

Thanks for the extra info Deb, but I still see some unanswered questions, ie: Did he have a weapon and did he fire at police?

I'm usually one of the first to criticize the "shoot first and ask questions later" mentality that we seem to see all too often from law enforcement, but if there is a case to be made for de Groot being armed and possibly dangerous, I can understand the RCMP not allowing any outside intervention.

I'm not saying I necessarily agree with it, (I can't agree or disagree without knowing more of the actual particulars) but I can understand it.

[-DLC-]

Oh I agree, RP, absolutely.

He did have a weapon and that factors in for sure. As stated, in hearing her story, it's obviously one from an anguished family member. But I'd expected from reports prior for a crazed maniac and by some accounts, that wasn't the case.

More to know for sure.

[DIBdaQUIB]

Thanks for the extra info Deb, but I still see some unanswered questions, ie: Did he have a weapon and did he fire at police?

I'm usually one of the first to criticize the "shoot first and ask questions later" mentality that we seem to see all too often from law enforcement, but if there is a case to be made for de Groot being armed and possibly dangerous, I can understand the RCMP not allowing any outside intervention.

I'm not saying I necessarily agree with it, (I can't agree or disagree without knowing more of the actual particulars) but I can understand it.

Allowing his family to speak on a bullhorn or by phone carried no risk. He was alone in a cabin and not in a position to hurt anyone. Why the need to surround and then assault the cabin to take him? Lots of questions to be asked but talking to locals, this was a completely over-blown and mishandled situation where a guy paid with his life. Aside from firing a warning shot at an empty vehicle (locals are unanimous on this point) he never threatened anyone or fired his weapon.

When you think back to the tazering death of the guy in Vancouver and the teen shot to death on the street car in Toronto, it is not a stretch to think that 60 RCMP all juiced up with assault teams/weapons, helicopters and assault vehicles got carried away in their efforts to "contain" a threat.

[Mr.DirtyDangles]

I have very close friends who actually live in Slocan and the surrounding area. Being a very samll town my friend knew Mr De Groot and had expressed to me that he was a very weird man. The police and their reports were so vague at the time of his shooting that many of the resident do not believe the RCMP's story of events.

[RUPERTKBD]

Allowing his family to speak on a bullhorn or by phone carried no risk. He was alone in a cabin and not in a position to hurt anyone. Why the need to surround and then assault the cabin to take him? Lots of questions to be asked but talking to locals, this was a completely over-blown and mishandled situation where a guy paid with his life. Aside from firing a warning shot at an empty vehicle (locals are unanimous on this point) he never threatened anyone or fired his weapon.

When you think back to the tazering death of the guy in Vancouver and the teen shot to death on the street car in Toronto, it is not a stretch to think that 60 RCMP all juiced up with assault teams/weapons, helicopters and assault vehicles got carried away in their efforts to "contain" a threat.

I don't disagree with any of that. I'm just saying that I've seen no reports that tell me the incident occurred in the manner that you claim.

[RonMexico]

Allowing his family to speak on a bullhorn or by phone carried no risk. He was alone in a cabin and not in a position to hurt anyone. Why the need to surround and then assault the cabin to take him? Lots of questions to be asked but talking to locals, this was a completely over-blown and mishandled situation where a guy paid with his life. Aside from firing a warning shot at an empty vehicle (locals are unanimous on this point) he never threatened anyone or fired his weapon.

When you think back to the tazering death of the guy in Vancouver and the teen shot to death on the street car in Toronto, it is not a stretch to think that 60 RCMP all juiced up with assault teams/weapons, helicopters and assault vehicles got carried away in their efforts to "contain" a threat.

Also think back to the 4 officers killed in Mayerthorpe. They just showed up to execute a property seizure and all were gunned down. The police should be on guard when they show up at a rural property because of incidents like this above.

It sounds like the did everything but call in the nation guard. There was obviously something to be concerned about. Does that justify their actions? Maybe or maybe not but since we don't really know what happened its tough to jump to any conclusions.

[prana16]

Allowing his family to speak on a bullhorn or by phone carried no risk. He was alone in a cabin and not in a position to hurt anyone. Why the need to surround and then assault the cabin to take him? Lots of questions to be asked but talking to locals, this was a completely over-blown and mishandled situation where a guy paid with his life. Aside from firing a warning shot at an empty vehicle (locals are unanimous on this point) he never threatened anyone or fired his weapon.

When you think back to the tazering death of the guy in Vancouver and the teen shot to death on the street car in Toronto, it is not a stretch to think that 60 RCMP all juiced up with assault teams/weapons, helicopters and assault vehicles got carried away in their efforts to "contain" a threat.

He fired a warning shot.. .but didn't fire his weapon or threaten anyone

fired - didn't fire

warning - didn't threaten

[DIBdaQUIB]

That's because the reports are coming form the media based on what they have been told by the RCMP.

The mayor of Slocan wrote a letter to the local newspaper in the valley clarifying that the RCMP held closed meetings and did not request any local knowledge or communicate with the local officials what their needs/.intent was.

This is consistent with what locals are saying. The RCMP made no effort to make use of local resources that could have defused the situation. They arrived in large numbers, instituted Marshall law and hunted the guy down.

Ask yourself why - even if the guy did fire one shot at an empty cruiser two days before - it was necessary to assault the cabin he was in? He had no hostage, had not fired his weapon again, was not threatening anyone. What was the rush? What was the risk of waiting him out? Why not allow his family to talk to him?

The local observations are that the RCMP were there to take the guy down. Was it payback for other incidents that have happened? An over reaction based on those events? Maybe. At a minimum it raises an awful lot of questions.

[DIBdaQUIB]

I don't disagree with any of that. I'm just saying that I've seen no reports that tell me the incident occurred in the manner that you claim.

That's because the reports are coming form the media based on what they have been told by the RCMP.

The mayor of Slocan wrote a letter to the local newspaper in the valley clarifying that the RCMP held closed meetings and did not request any local knowledge or communicate with the local officials what their needs/.intent was.

This is consistent with what locals are saying. The RCMP made no effort to make use of local resources that could have defused the situation. They arrived in large numbers, instituted Marshall law and hunted the guy down.

Ask yourself why - even if the guy did fire one shot at an empty cruiser two days before - it was necessary to assault the cabin he was in? He had no hostage, had not fired his weapon again, was not threatening anyone. What was the rush? What was the risk of waiting him out? Why not allow his family to talk to him?

The local observations are that the RCMP were there to take the guy down. Was it payback for other incidents that have happened? An over reaction based on those events? Maybe. At a minimum it raises an awful lot of questions.

[RonMexico]

That's because the reports are coming form the media based on what they have been told by the RCMP.

The mayor of Slocan wrote a letter to the local newspaper in the valley clarifying that the RCMP held closed meetings and did not request any local knowledge or communicate with the local officials what their needs/.intent was.

This is consistent with what locals are saying. The RCMP made no effort to make use of local resources that could have defused the situation. They arrived in large numbers, instituted Marshall law and hunted the guy down.

Ask yourself why - even if the guy did fire one shot at an empty cruiser two days before - it was necessary to assault the cabin he was in? He had no hostage, had not fired his weapon again, was not threatening anyone. What was the rush? What was the risk of waiting him out? Why not allow his family to talk to him?

The local observations are that the RCMP were there to take the guy down. Was it payback for other incidents that have happened? An over reaction based on those events? Maybe. At a minimum it raises an awful lot of questions.

I think you are getting a little carried away and not objectively looking at this scenario.

Why did de Groot fire on an empty police cruiser? Why would anyone do that? He made an agressive act against the police regardless of the cruiser being empty. If he had nothing to hide from, why was he holed up in a cabin? Why not just surrender on the spot? Maybe he did try to for all we know but I certainly am not going to believe 'the locals'. I may be painting the town with a broad brush but I assume that many of the people who live in Slocan (NOT ALL) are relatives of draft dodgers and are suspicious of law enforcement in general.

I get what you are saying and that there are questions that should be asked of the police, but the whole excessive force angle that everyone loves to throw in the face of law enforcement is en vogue lately. Police are provided tools to do their job and make split second decisions. I am not saying every decision is the correct one but most times the decisions are correct based on the situation.