Members of Cheyenne Fox’s family are demanding that Toronto police fairly look into her sudden, tragic death at twenty years of age and treat it like a homicide — challenging the all- too-familiar neglect by police departments to investigate any suspicious First Nations woman death or disappearance — as asserted by Operation Thunderbird.
Cheyenne Fox was a member of the loon dodem from Sheguiandah First Nation in Ontario (Manitoulin Island) and is from a very politically active family. She is survived by a young son.
The death of Cheyenne Fox and the search for justice by her family has spurred a strong, prairie-fire call to action — echoed by groups like Grass Roots Committee of Ontario and Idle No More and First Nation empowerment movements like #OpThunderbird (Operation Thunderbird in Thunder Bay, Ontario).
Operation Thunderbird has tweeted out that they are on the case to bring awareness to Fox’s death, enlisting the help of Anonymous (@YourAnonNews).
Little to no information has been released regarding Fox’s sudden death. Basic inquiries about the release of even a standard press release by the Toronto police have left community members wondering if Toronto police care about her death.
According to the Toronto police, regarding the conduct of the Toronto police, they do not issue press releases in the case of suicides.
This is the designation they have given to Fox’s death two weeks ago, based on eye-witness testimony that she jumped twenty-four stories to her death.
Her family wants the police to account for the multiple bruises found on her body, which they claim were unrelated to the fall and scream of a suspicious and violent encounter just before or causing her death.
A vigil for the over 700 murdered and missing Indigenous women across Turtle Island – including honouring the life of Cheyenne Fox and calling for a proper investigation into her death – will be held in Toronto on Sunday evening, 7:t00 pm at Toronto police HQ ( College Avenue and Bay Street).
People are asked to bring banners, candles and drums.
Another action is being organized for June 1, 2013, starting at 12:00 pm noon. Organizers are asking people to gather at 33 Division (50 Up John Road). People are encouraged to bring their drums and asked to wear dark coloured clothing.
In a press statement released with the June 1 call out organizers explain, “Why are we doing this? The government of this country continues to abuse and not listen to the First people.
Our resources are stolen from us, our children are taken into state care, men and women are being jailed at an incredible rate, suicides in native communities have sky rocketed, our lands are being destroyed, our women, youth and men are murdered and have gone missing. All of this is totally unacceptable and the government has sat ‘idly-by'”.
Sister actions for June 1, 2013, include revolving road closures in Serpent River First Nation and solidarity actions being organized in Alberta.
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