'I just want to honour him': Family marks one-year anniversary of Rodney Levi's death
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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.