In a heart-wrenching incident that has shocked communities, Colombian refugee Vanessa Renteria was fatally shot by police in British Columbia's Lower Mainland just a week ago. Activists and advocates are now rallying for transparency and answers surrounding her death, not only for Renteria’s grieving family but for the community at large.

On Thursday, demonstrators congregated in Surrey, amplifying calls for accountability from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Many of these advocates represent Renteria's family, who are currently seeking visas to travel to Canada and understand the circumstances leading to her tragic end. "There is no justification for this," stated Nadia Revelo Bolivar from the Solidarity Committee for Renteria, asserting the community's determination to pursue justice.

The scant details released by law enforcement surrounding Renteria's shooting have left many in shock. According to a statement from the B.C. RCMP, officers were dispatched to a home in the Cloverdale area on September 19 after receiving reports of a disturbance. They found Renteria allegedly barricaded in a room, holding a weapon near her 18-month-old daughter, who is now under her husband's care.

Despite these claims, many critical questions remain unanswered. The RCMP has refrained from providing details about the weapon involved, the presence of a translator during the incident, or whether officers attempted to de-escalate the situation. The ongoing investigation by the province's police watchdog, the Independent Investigations Office (IIO), further complicates matters, as these cases often take considerable time to resolve, sometimes extending over years.

Meghan McDermott, a lawyer with the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, criticized the current accountability system for police conduct, noting that since the IIO's inception in 2012, no officer has faced conviction despite contested charges. "Her family deserves to know what happened in those final moments," McDermott urged, adding that the ambiguity surrounding Renteria's death only fuels community outrage.

Renteria, a vocal activist and union member in Colombia, fled her homeland amid threats to her life, seeking safety in Canada. Recently, she had been living in Surrey shelters after reportedly enduring abuse in her previous residence. Advocates believe she was in crisis at the time of her death, emphasizing that her needs should have been met with compassion rather than violence: "Her death was avoidable," McDermott lamented, insisting that her cries for help must not go unheard.

The police officer who discharged their weapon did so less than an hour after the RCMP's arrival. The IIO's chief civilian director, Jessica Berglund, refrained from providing a timeline for the investigation, stating, “It's far too early at this time to draw any conclusions in this particular case.”

As calls for justice grow louder, the community waits in anticipation for answers regarding the tragic death of Vanessa Renteria—one that might not only heal the wounds for her family but also shed light on the crucial need for reform within law enforcement practices.