35 years ago today a 17 year old boy from Salteaux First Nation was found dead in a field outside Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
His name was Neil Stonechild.
Neil played hockey, and he loved wrestling. He once won a bantamweight provincial title in Saskatchewan. His brother Chris described him as fun loving and caring. His mother Stella's nickname for him was baby boy.
Neil went out with his friend Jason on November 24th, 1990. It was -28° C outside. Later that night he was picked up by Saskatoon Police Service officers Brad Senger and Larry Hartwig. Neil was not charged with any crime and the officers did not keep any record of taking Neil.
The last words his friend heard him say were "Jay, help me. They're going to kill me."
Neil was found dead on November 29th, injured and with one shoe missing. He was wearing his favourite letterman jacket, which his brother Chris had given him. There were bruises on his face and cuts around his wrists. He had frozen to death.
Neil was murdered in what canadian Natives call a Starlight Tour, in which Indigenous people are picked up by police and left outside the city. Some are told to walk home. Not all of them make it.
There are reports of Starlight Tours as far back as 1976 and as recent as 2018.
The Saskatoon Police Service investigated themselves and found they did nothing wrong.
The RCMP investigated and told the Department of Justice that they would not be recommending any charges in relation to Neil's death.
Canada's police services were created to confine and oppress Indigenous people. They are brutal and racist. 9 Indigenous people were killed in interactions with police between August 29th and October 4th, 2024. That is 36 days. 9 people in 36 days.
Indigenous people make up 5% of the population of Canada, but make up 16% of police related deaths. 31% of people in Canadian prisons are Indigenous.
Land Back means justice for all the victims of colonial police brutality.
Neil's possessions were never returned to his family.
The officers were fired in 2003.
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