'Your voice matters,' sister of Thompson man shot by RCMP says, urging witnesses to come forward

The family of a First Nations man shot by RCMP earlier this week is urging people who witnessed the incident to come forward and says there should be consequences for the officer who shot and injured the 30-year-old on Monday.

"Today, your voice matters," said Kikiwani Mikisew Iskwew, the sister of the man who was shot.

"We cannot remain silent or our relatives will continue to be mistreated by the systemic violence against the Indigenous people of this land," she said at a Wednesday afternoon news conference held by the Indigenous advocacy agency Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak.

Iskwew said her brother, who she identified only as "Little Ray," was in good spirits when she last spoke to him in the hospital, where he's in stable condition.

The shooting happened around 2:45 p.m. on Monday in Thompon. An officer serving legal documents at a home in the northern Manitoba city encountered a man who was allegedly armed with a knife, RCMP said in a news release issued later that day.

The officer shot the man, who was taken to hospital in Thompson with a serious injury.

The encounter was captured on video by a bystander and circulated on social media, and raised questions from several First Nations organizations about the use of force in the situation.

WATCH | Bystander caught the police shooting on video:

Iskwew said her family feels the officer could have used non-violent intervention strategies to de-escalate the situation with her brother, who she said is also a son, an uncle and a father of five children.

After watching the video circulated online, she said her family doesn't believe her brother had a knife.

The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba, which is mandated to investigate injuries caused by police shootings, is now investigating.

The police watchdog asked witnesses or anyone who has information or video that might help in its investigation to contact them toll-free at 1-844-667-6060.