Andre Katzenellenbogen, the father of my granddaughter, was tragically slain on June 10th, 2023. His killer, Dennis Blacksmith, ( whose manslaughter charges were stayed and who is now free ) in Brandon, Manitoba is on the streets.

As a former support worker and advocate for those in economic crisis and struggling with mental health and addictions issues, I have witnessed firsthand the systemic discrimination against Indigenous peoples by the Brandon Police. This discrimination extends to their investigations - or lack thereof - into crimes involving Indigenous victims.

The case of Andre is not an isolated incident but rather a symptom of a larger issue at hand. According to Statistics Canada's report in 2018, Indigenous people were overrepresented as victims of homicide (24% while representing only 5% of the population). This is not just a statistic; it's indicative of an ongoing problem that needs immediate attention.

My personal experiences with Brandon Police have shown me their lack of empathy towards our community members. Their dismissive attitude towards us is unacceptable and goes against their duty to serve and protect all citizens equally.

We demand that Brandon Police be held accountable for their systemic discrimination towards Indigenous peoples and improper investigations into crimes involving our community members. We also call for a thorough investigation into Andre Katzenellenbogen's case so that justice can be served. There are so many facts missing from this case and a lack of investigation to find evidence against a person who confessed to killing Andre.

The police said that the accused Dennis Blacksmith acted in self-defense against in unarmed man. The police accepted that the murder weapon was discarded and made no attempts to find it. The  family and the witness were not involved in the "investigation". Dennis was released from jail on the 23rd of December only 6 months after the killing. 

Please sign this petition to demand justice for Andre Katzenellenbogen and all other victims who have been failed by systemic bias within law enforcement agencies like Brandon Police.