BWSS Joins Latin American, Colombian, Immigrant, Refugee, and Labour Communities in Demanding Justice for Vanessa Renteria

With a heavy heart, we share an update on the RCMP killing of Vanessa Renteria in Surrey, BC. Vanessa was an Afro-Colombian refugee and mother of a young daughter, seeking safety and a new life here in Canada. The devastating loss of Vanessa has left her community, friends, and family with numerous questions, and we stand with them in demanding answers.

The initial information circulated to the public was the RCMP public account of the events that occurred on the day of the shooting. We know that, outside of the RCMP narrative, there is more information regarding what happened, including the context around her life and questions more broadly about Vanessa’s safety.

You may have seen our statement regarding the RCMP killing of Vanessa Renteria. We are organizing a press conference on Thursday, September 25, 2024, at 9:45 am to address the many concerns surrounding the incident. Below is a round-up of critical updates and media coverage.

Media Releases

BWSS Press Release: Anti-Violence Organization condemns the RCMP killing of a woman in Surrey, BC
Many questions emerge as Battered Women’s Support Services (BWSS) joins members of Afro-Latino community in Metro Vancouver, Canada and in Buenaventura, Columbia in condemning the Surrey RCMP killing of a young Afro-Latina mother.

Surrey RCMP Press Release: BC RCMP notifies IIO BC of an incident in Surrey
On September 19, at approximately 4:40 a.m., Surrey RCMP received a report of a disturbance at a residence. Officers arrived and found a woman barricaded in a room, reportedly holding a weapon next to a young child. Two other adults present at the residence were safely removed by the attending officers. At approximately 5:30 a.m., during interactions with the woman, an officer fired their weapon, striking her. Officers and Emergency Health Services, who were already outside the residence, immediately provided medical assistance; however, the woman died at the scene. There were no reported injuries to the child.

IIO Media Release: IIO is Investigating a Police-Involved Shooting in Surrey (2024-221)
The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of BC is investigating a police-involved shooting incident that occurred in Surrey. The IIO was notified of the incident shortly after it happened and has commenced an investigation. Initial investigative steps will aim to confirm the details of the incident and assess whether the force used by police was necessary, reasonable, and proportionate given the circumstances.

Articles

Vancouver Sun: Police killing of mother in Surrey condemned: ‘Her daughter was the light of her eye’
Angela-Marie Macdougall, executive director at BWSS, questioned if the police understood Vanessa’s social and cultural context. Recently moved to Vancouver, Vanessa had just received her permanent residency and was seeking to leave her husband while caring for her 18-month-old daughter.

MacDougall stated, “When I think about women barricading themselves and their children, they’re doing that for their safety.” She highlighted the rise in fatal police shootings in Canada and noted, “To flee police violence (in Colombia) and then to die by police violence in a country that’s supposed to be safe … Black and Indigenous people are not safe from police violence.”

Valencia’s family described her as a kind, thoughtful mother, emphasizing her love for her daughter. The National Union of Transport and Logistics Workers of Colombia, of which Vanessa was a member, called for an independent investigation into the incident.

CTV News: Woman shot by B.C. police was Colombian refugee with young daughter, advocate says
Authorities have not confirmed if a weapon was recovered at the scene or if the toddler was present during the shooting, and it remains unclear who reported the initial disturbance to police. The B.C. RCMP stated they would not answer questions while the incident is under investigation by the Independent Investigations Office. CTV News reached out to the B.C. RCMP regarding the use of de-escalation tactics and the presence of an interpreter but has yet to receive a response.

Gaston Ntabaza stated, “Police carry a lot of tools and resources, and we don’t see how someone who doesn’t have a gun would have to be killed. We just want justice to be done accordingly.”

MacDougall expressed, “In 2024, we expect that the RCMP would have the skills to de-escalate a situation and use proper practices when confronting people that are not speaking English to prevent lethal violence against a mother with her child present.”

Surrey Now-Leader: Surrey mom shot dead by police was ‘kind, caring’: advocacy group
The Surrey RCMP stated that any questions about the incident should be directed to the IIO. An IIO spokesperson noted as the investigation is still in its early stages, “there are no further details I can provide at this time beyond what is in our media release.” The IIO could not confirm that Renteria was the victim due to legislation that prohibits them from doing so except in rare cases.

Chilliwack Press: B.C. mom shot dead by police was Colombian newcomer: advocacy group
The woman has been identified by the SNTT de Colombia, a Colombian labour union, as Vanessa Renteria Valencia. The union, on social media, is calling for an investigation into her death and sending condolences to her loved ones.

CityNews Everywhere: Group condemns RCMP after fatal shooting of young mom in front of her child
BWSS called the RCMP-involved shooting “unacceptable.” Angela-Marie Macdougall, executive director at BWSS, stated, “Since we believe RCMP are trained to use the least lethal option when dealing with difficult situations, we expect that they will.” She noted that police often escalate situations to the point of using lethal violence.

Macdougall also pointed out that there are still unanswered questions regarding the woman’s living situation, mentioning that she had expressed concerns and was seeking to obtain housing independent of her husband, wanting to “take a break.”

Global News: Fatal police shooting of Surrey mother shakes community
Church pastor Gaston Ntabaza stated that Valencia’s husband called 911 after an argument, seeking help to calm her down, insisting she had no weapon and posed no threat to their one-year-old child. He remarked, “They have a lot of resources they can use to de-escalate the situation,” emphasizing that she deeply loved her baby and could not have become a predator.

Neighbours reported hearing commands like “drop the knife” and “drop the scissors,” noting that the situation lasted at least 30 minutes before the shots were fired. Neighbour Keegan Marhall expressed concern, stating, “Police have a lot of tools they could use, and I think shooting a mother dead holding her baby while her whole family is there was a little bit excessive force.”

Valencia’s pastor mentioned that she had experienced a mental health crisis the day before her death, leading friends to call 911 to report her thoughts of suicide.

CTV News: Woman dead, toddler uninjured following B.C. police shooting, watchdog says
The RCMP did not specify if officers recovered a weapon from the home. An IIO spokesperson stated that she could not confirm whether the child witnessed the shooting, as the investigation is still in its “very early stages.”

Vancouver Island Free Daily: B.C. police fatally shoot woman barricaded in room with child, weapon

Vancouver Sun: B.C. crime news: Woman shot by police in Surrey

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Demanding Justice for Vanessa

As a community, we must continue to push for answers and hold those responsible accountable. Vanessa’s story reflects the broader crisis of police violence, especially against women of colour and those fleeing traumatic situations. We will continue to advocate whenever state violence impacts members of our communities.

We encourage you to stay informed, engage in community discussions, and follow BWSS for updates on how we will continue to support Vanessa’s inner-circle and pursue justice.

Please contact us if you have any questions or wish to get involved in advocacy efforts. Together, we honour Vanessa’s life by demanding the truth.