UPDATE: Updated on June 20 with response from Saskatchewan RCMP.
The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations is calling on the RCMP to take action over an alleged assault in Duck Lake earlier this month.
In a media Release sent out Friday afternoon, the FSIN asserts a neighborhood dispute on June 4 led to the assault of members of an Indigenous family and their friends, one of whom is disabled, by several non-Indigenous men.
In the release, the FSIN has a statement from Jeffrey Mike, who is a resident of the home where the altercation took place.
“This was a violent assault by a large group of non-indigenous men who went way too far by starting a fight with a small group of young indigenous men,” said Mike in the statement. “After a short argument, these men invaded our private property and violently assaulted my son and his friends. I believe this was a racially motivated crime where the RCMP dismissed the severity of the incident and our injuries because we are indigenous.”
The FSIN says one person was charged as a result, but Mike says the single charge wasn’t enough saying he believes the RCMP did not adequately investigate the situation.
He says he, his son, and their two friends ended up having multiple bruising all over their bodies, black eyes, and a punctured lung.
The FSIN is now calling on the RCMP to review the file further and intervene if needed.
“The violent assault of these four Indigenous men, including one who is disabled, is an appalling act of hatred and discrimination,” said FSIN Vice-Chief Dutch Lerat in the media release. “FSIN condemns this behavior and calls for immediate action from the RCMP to investigate and press charges against all the individuals involved. We stand in solidarity with these First Nation men to achieve justice and accountability.”
Saskatchewan RCMP provided a written statement in response to MBC Radio News on Tuesday June 20.
In the statement, the RCMP says the altercation took place between two seperate groups of three adult males, one of whom entered onto private property where the altercation occurred resulting to injuries of the men at the home.
RCMP say the altercation ended prior to the arrival of officers who offered “multiple times” to call for medical assistance to the victims, but Mounties say these offers were repeatedly refused. RCMP do say one of the injured men was taken home by police at the request of the individual.
Mounties say as a result of their initial investigation a 54 year-old man from Duck Lake was arrested and faces two charges; assault and assault while choking.
The written statement from the RCMP says they are confident in the progress of the investigation, which remains active saying if any further information is reported to police it will be “investigated fully.”
The RCMP finished their statement by saying “It’s important to note that all RCMP investigations are taken seriously and all victims are treated the same and will not be discriminated against.”