'I just want to honour him': Family marks one-year anniversary of Rodney Levi's death

METEPENAGIAG FIRST NATION, N.B. -

Saturday marks the one-year anniversary of Rodney Levi’s death.

Levi, 48, was living in Sunny Corner, N.B. when an RCMP officer fatally shot him while responding to a disturbance at the home.

On Saturday, his family and friends are remembering him with a series of events.

His niece Becky Levi was living with Rodney a few weeks before he died.

“The fights not over, we are going to see this through," says Becky Levi.

“I just don’t want to see it happen to another family and I just want there to change."

Their family has planned a day's worth of events in Levi's honour.

“We’re gathering over at the school gym and we’re going to be there in solidarity, and show that we’re not just going to sit down and let this blow over. They took a real life, a real human," says Becky Levi.

Rodney was shot and killed on June 12, 2020. No charges will be laid against the officer as the shooting was deemed 'suicide by police officer.' Though the family disagrees with the conclusion.

The officer involved told investigators that he perceived Levi as a threat when he fired.

“I couldn’t believe it, the call I got was, it was a hard call to take," says Chief Bill Ward of the Metepenagiag First Nation.

"He wasn’t a violent person, he was a gentle guy. It was shocking and devastating.”

With the tragedy of his death, Levi's family hopes a coroner's inquest on October 4 will provide more answers - and help them heal.

“I just want to honour him," says Becky Levi.

Especially a year after he lost his life.

The events will continue into Saturday evening with an awareness walk and a baseball game in memory of Levi.