A vigil will be held this Saturday, July 25 between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. in Dunham in front of Sûreté du Québec (SQ) headquarters on rue Montmagny, marking the anniversary of the death of Riley Fairholm.
In the early morning of July 25, 2018 Riley was intercepted by six SQ officers, walking alone near the corner of Knowlton Road and Victoria Street in Brome Lake carrying a BB gun. After refusing to drop his weapon, Riley was shot once in the forehead.
Following an investigation, the office of the crown prosecutor (Directeur des poursuites criminelles et pénales-DPCP) announced no charges would be laid against the SQ officers involved in the shooting death of 17-year-old Brome Lake teen.
After over a year of unanswered questions, Riley’s mother Tracy Wing learned that the night Riley was shot the negotiation with the officers took a total of one minute.
“There was no negotiation. They said drop your weapon, he didn’t drop it, they shot him,” Wing said in an interview with The Record in October of last year.
The purpose of Saturday’s event is to push for more training, psychological evaluations, bodycams, transparency and accountability from police.
“Please join us in remembering Riley and remind the SQ that we have not forgotten. Riley deserved more than 61 seconds before one police officer decided that the only solution was a bullet to the head,” the Facebook invitation for the vigil reads.
Last year Wing organized a vigil and a walk in Brome Lake. This year, the plan is to stand outside in front of SQ headquarters for one hour and hold signs.
The vigil invitation reminds participants to maintain social distancing and be respectful during the event.
Vigil for Riley Fairholm at Dunham SQ headquarters
By Matthew McCully
