The family of Afolabi Opaso, a 19-year-old Nigerian international student shot dead by a Canadian police officer, has called for a fresh investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.

Speaking at a news conference on Friday, Yemisi Opaso, the sister of the deceased, expressed deep disappointment over the handling of the case.

“The whole family, we are really disappointed. We are now in more pain because we have so many unanswered questions. Instead of clarity, we are now left with more, more, more questions, more unanswered questions,” she said.

One of the family’s lawyers, Jean-René Dominique Kwilu, described the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) report—which cleared the officer of wrongdoing—as “an utter disgrace marred by bias.”

“It seems as though the blue wall is protecting another blue wall. The family thinks they (the Canadian police in Alberta) are trying to cover their tracks, to put a narrative together,” Kwilu stated.

Another lawyer, Benjamin Nkana Bassi, questioned the credibility of claims that Opaso had charged at the officers with knives.

“There is no evidence confirming that Mr. Opaso ran at the officers. Civilian witnesses did not report hearing anyone running. If he did not run, then there was no threat. It means they killed him for nothing,” Bassi said.

He added that the family believes the official report contained fabricated evidence.

“This is a joke of a report. It is not independent, it is not impartial. It is simply a disgrace,” Bassi emphasized.

The family’s legal team disclosed plans to petition Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Premier Wab Kinew, and both federal and provincial attorneys general.

“The fight will continue. If they thought this report would make the Opaso family go quiet, they are sadly mistaken,” Kwilu declared.

Opaso, a University of Manitoba student, suffered a mental breakdown on December 31, 2023. His roommates, concerned for his safety after he wielded two knives, called 911 for medical assistance.

Despite informing responding officers that Opaso posed no danger to others, he was shot three times by a police officer.

ASIRT later ruled that the officer acted in self-defense, stating that Opaso had charged at police while armed. The agency concluded there were no grounds to believe the officer committed a crime.