According to reports, police had been called to an apartment suite in the first 100 block of University Crescent for reports of a man acting erratically.
Over 7,000 people have signed a petition demanding justice for the 19-year-old Nigerian student of the University of Manitoba, Afolabi Stephen Opaso, who was shot dead by Winnipeg police in Canada on New Year's Eve.
Winnipeg police reported the shooting to the Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba (IIU) hours after it happened on December 31 around 2:20 p.m.
According to reports, police had been called to an apartment suite in the first 100 block of University Crescent for reports of a man acting erratically.
The IIU said two officers responded and found three people inside the suite. Winnipeg Police Chief, Danny Smyth told reporters on Monday that one of the people, a 19-year-old man, was armed with two knives.
But the petitioners who are demanding justice for the murdered Nigerian said that Opaso, popularly known as Zigi, was a vibrant young man whose life was tragically cut short.
“This incident has left a deep scar in our hearts and raised serious concerns about police brutality and racial profiling.
“Zigi had dreams and aspirations like any other young person. He wanted to make his family proud by excelling in his studies and contributing positively to society. However, his dreams were abruptly ended due to this senseless act of violence,” the petitioners said.
The petitioners said, “In Canada, Black people are disproportionately affected by police violence. According to a CBC investigation in 2020, Black people represented 8% of all fatalities involving police despite making up only 3% of the population (CBC News).
“This is an alarming statistic that highlights systemic racism within our law enforcement agencies.
“We demand justice for Zigi and all victims of police brutality. We call upon the Canadian government to conduct an impartial investigation into Zigi's death and hold those responsible accountable for their actions.
“Furthermore, we urge them to implement reforms within law enforcement agencies nationwide to prevent such tragedies from happening again.”