St. Arnaud's Mother Speaks

By 250 News

Prince George, B.C.-  Delores Young has responded to the Commission for Public Complaints Report released this week regarding her son Kevin St. Arnaud's shooting death.

Young has read through the report and says CPC Chair Paul Kennedy's findings regarding the responsibility and accountability of the officer who shot her son were "weak".  However, Young says there were some elements of the report she agreed with.

"I thought it came out strongly against the police investigating themselves".

Young was asked how she feels about Constable Ryan Sheremetta being cleared of all wrongdoing and the fact that he is back on active duty.

"He is older now.  I sure hope he's had some kind of counselling and some kind of training in conflict situations.  But I am a little bit afraid that because there's no ruling that he was at fault, now he's sort of exonerated , it almost seems like his behaviour is okay.  And I don't want any of them to get the idea that their behaviour is okay.  You know, killing people is so final."

The report found that Constable Sheremetta was justified as he “feared grievous bodily harm” when he fired three shots into St. Arnaud’s chest in December, 2004.

Young says the fact that RCMP admit errors were made in the investigation of the shooting death is a step in the right direction.

Kennedy was highly critical of the way the investigation was handled.

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