Vigil held for man slain in Anicinabe Park

KENORA – The City of Kenora sent representation to Tuesday’s vigil for Bruce Frogg at Anicinabe Park, but the city’s Indigenous relations adviser cautioned that now’s not the time to stand on a soapbox.

A vigil for the Wawakapewin First Nation man who police fatally shot in the park last week began at 2 p.m.

“The reason why I’m attending is because Mr. Bruce Frogg was an individual from a First Nation and the man was seriously in distress,” said Ed Mandamin, the city’s Indigenous relations adviser since June 3.

“We want to go and commemorate his passing as a tragedy that shouldn’t have happened,” Mandamin continued.

“A lot of people that I’ve been talking to – and that’s Indigenous and non-Indigenous – said that it could have been handled a lot better and that lethal force shouldn’t have been used.

“But I wasn't there, so I don’t know.”

Mandamin said lending support to Frogg’s family and friends should be participants’ focus.

“This is not a time to do soapboxing,” he said. “We’re going to pay respects for an individual.

The political speeches can come “at a different time,” he said.

“Right now we just want to honour the spirit of Mr. Bruce Frogg and his family.”

Frogg, who was in his 50s, was shot in the early afternoon of June 25 after someone set fire to a building in the park.

A Special Investigations Unit news release said provincial police officers located a man who was holding two large knives. An officer shot the man, who was taken to hospital and pronounced deceased.

The SIU is probing the incident, as it investigates all officer-involved shootings.

Nishnawbe Aski Nation and Grand Council Treaty #3 issued a statement Friday extending condolences to Frogg’s family and Wawakapewin, which is a member First Nation in NAN.

NAN Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler and GCT3 Grand Chief Francis Kavanaugh also said the incident “has once again raised serious questions about the conduct of the police and their interactions with First Nations peoples.

“We expect a full accounting of exactly what happened, and we will hold the appropriate people and agencies accountable for their actions.”

Sol Mamakwa, the MPP for Kiiwetinoong, said in a media statement that the episode “appears to be another situation where the lack of proper mental health support leads to unnecessary loss of life.”

Shibogama First Nations Council, which includes Wawakapewin, issued a press statement saying “Shibogama Chiefs are shocked and appalled that another First Nations individual has died at the hands of police.”

The shooting must be investigated to determine why police “used lethal force on a community member instead of attempting to de-escalate the situation,” the Shibogama statement declared.

The statement concluded by saying Frogg “was an avid outdoorsman, harvesting from its bounty and sharing with family and community members. We send our deepest condolences to Mr. Frogg’s family, friends and community.”

Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Thunder Bay Source