A police watchdog agency is investigating the death of Bronson Paul, a member of Tobique First Nation, in an RCMP-involved shooting on Sunday, Jan. 18 in New Brunswick.
According to the RCMP, members from the Perth Andover detachment responded to a report of a domestic dispute at a residence on Main Street at the Neqotkuk First Nation (also known as the Tobique First Nation) at about 5:06 p.m. on the Sunday afternoon.
“As the situation quickly evolved, a man armed with an edged weapon advanced towards members. A Conducted Energy Weapon (taser) was deployed ineffectively, and a member discharged their firearm at the man,” stated the RCMP the day after the incident.
The RCMP went on to say that first aid was immediately administered at the scene, and the man was taken to hospital where he later died.
There is no mention of body cameras on any of the police officers.
Bronson Paul is the fourth Indigenous person killed by police in New Brunswick since 2020. Tla-o-qui-aht’s Chantel Moore, 26, was shot multiple times by an Edmunston Police Force officer during a wellness check on June 4, 2020.
That same year, Rodney Levi of Metpenagiag Mi’kmaq Nation was shot and killed by an RCMP officer. In 2024 Steven Dedam of Elsipogtog First Nation was also shot and killed by an RCMP officer.
Neqotkuk Chief Ross Perley has called for the closure of the local RCMP detatchment located in Tobique First Nation’s territory, calling the actions of the police force “careless and reckless”.
“Bronson was murdered in his home by RCMP officers that shot him five times. All the while his children and their mother were in the next room,” states Perley on the Tobique First Nation website. “The trauma of this incident happening within their own home will live with them forever.”
Perley went to say that the communty and leadership are “angry, scared and frustrated, and trust with the RCMP has deteriorated”.
The RCMP has engaged the Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT), an independant agency to investigate the death. The New Brunswick RCMP says it’s committed to being accountable and transparent to the communities it serves.
“SiRT is responsible for investigating all matters that involve death, serious injury, sexual assault and intimate partner violence or other matters of a public interest that may have arisien from the actions of any police officer, on or off duty, in Nova Scotia or New Brunswick,” stated a SiRT press release from Jan. 19. “Investigations are under the direction and control of an independent civilian director, who has the sole authority to determine if charges should be laid at the conclusion of an investigation.”
But the Neqotkuk say they have found that SiRT is not completely independent.
“SiRT have put themselves in a perceived conflict of interest having MOUs with the RCMP,” stated the First Nation.
Chief Perley and the Neqotkuk have issued a call to action.
“Our community needs safe and trustworthy community policing. Trust has been completely lost and it likely will never be regained under the status quo,” they stated, adding that they fear more violence, conflict and dead Indigenous people if the issue is not resolved.
The Tobique’s seven calls to action demand public officials, including the Prime Minister and the RCMP commissioner, to reform Indigenous policing, including the establishment of peacekeeping forces in the communities to respond to wellness checks, patrols and occurance reports.
Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council President Judith Sayers sends deepest condolences to Bronson’s family, friends and community on behalf of all Nuu-chah-nulth people.
“It is a real shame the First Nation people continue to be shot and killed by RCMP despite First Nations effort to change this as a use of force,” she stated.
Canadian First Nations people, she said, have long been calling for police training to disarm, rather than kill.
Sayers noted that statistics show that Indigenous peoples are 10 times more likely to be shot and killed by a police officer than caucasion Canadians.
“Massive change is required and the public should be very concerned with these shootings and work with Indigenous peoples to change this so every person in Canada can feel safe,” she said.
The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) called Bronson Paul’s death a tragic loss.
“Our hearts go out to the family of Bronson Paul, his loved ones, and the entire Tobique First Nation during this time of profound grief,” said National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak.
Speaking in support of Tobique First Nation’s calls to action, Nepinak said the community deserves answers and accountablilty.
“We call for urgent action to address systemic issues that contribute to unequal and deadly outcomes for First Nations people in interactions with police services,” she stated. “It is not clear why Tobique First Nation’s council, outreach team and tribal security were not engaged as they have experience dealing with these matters and, when necessary, de-escalating,”
Noting that there have been too many First Nations people losing their lives in police interactions, Nepinak said, “We stand with the people of Tobique First Nation, and extend our deepest condolences to Bronson’s family, friends and all those mourning his loss.”
