Police killing of Colombian mother in Surrey condemned by family, colleagues
Those who loved and spent time with Vanessa Rentería Valencia are speaking out after a police officer shot and killed her in Surrey on September 19.
Rentería Valencia had come to Canada with her husband seeking a better future for themselves and their young daughter, according to a statement from the Colombian workers’ union Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de Rama.
The union described the young mother as a prominent activist and youth leader of the union in Buenaventura, Colombia. It’s demanding a fair and impartial investigation into her death and that Canadian authorities return her body to Colombia so she can be laid to rest in her homeland.
Ante hechos sucedidos la madrugada del 19 de septiembre en Surrey, Canadá que terminaron con el fallecimiento de nuestra amiga, compañera y ex afiliada Vanessa Renteria Valencia, rechazamos este acto violento y solicitamos a la autoridades que se adelante una investigación. pic.twitter.com/HgkqBT6lrR
— SNTT de Colombia (@SNTTdeColombia) September 20, 2024
The Independent Investigations Office of BC, which investigates all police incidents leading to death or serious injury, is probing what happened on September 19. It said Surrey RCMP officers responding to a disturbance inside a home where they believed a woman was barricaded inside a room with a weapon and a young child.
After an interaction with the woman, an officer fired their gun, and she died. Two other adults were also removed from the residence.
But BC-based Battered Women’s Support Services (BWSS) questioned whether the IIO’s account of what happened paints the full picture. The advocacy organization revealed Rentería Valencia had been accessing support services while trying to establish her life in Canada.
“The woman had been expressing concerns about her intimate relationship and was seeking interventions to help change the situation,” BWSS said. “It has been disclosed that the woman had been inquiring about accessing BC Housing to live independently of her intimate partner.”
Rentería Valencia spoke Spanish, and BWSS wants to know whether the police spoke commands to her in English or Spanish — and whether she had a chance to understand what was being said and comply. BWSS also questioned whether the mother had barricaded herself in the room for her own safety or to protect her child.
“It is unacceptable that the RCMP would use lethal violence with a young mother barricaded with her child when they are trained to use the least lethal option when dealing with difficult situations,” BWSS.
Rentería Valencia’s relatives are taking to social media to call for justice. Her niece shared a video compilation of her pictures asking for answers from police. Her aunt called her an excellent mother and “everything a good human can be.”
BC Community Alliance, an organization dedicated to fighting anti-Black racism, said it was saddened to hear about her death. It said Rentería Valencia came to Canada as a refugee and had recently secured her permanent residency.
“Her death has left many in shock, with questions about the handling of the situation by police. This heartbreaking incident underscores the need for transparency, accountability, and the proper use of de-escalation tactics,” it said. “We stand with her loved ones and the community in seeking answers and justice.”
The IIO said no additional information will be released by police due to the ongoing investigation into what happened.