The Peace Valley farmer who triggered a series of events that left a man dead outside a Site C dam open house last summer says he hasn't been contacted as part of the investigation into the police-involved shooting of James McIntyre.
Terry Hadland came forward late last year as the disruptor of a Site C open house in Dawson Creek on July 16, 2015. Hadland says he tore up maps of the $8.8 billion dam to show his opposition to the project.
McIntyre, a 48-year-old employee of a local restaurant, was shot by police responding to the incident shortly after Hadland left the Fixx Urban Grill.
A year later, Hadland says he's still unsure why he hasn't been contacted by either the province's Independent Investigations Office (IIO) or RCMP. The IIO continues to investigate whether the RCMP member who shot McIntyre—who was reportedly wearing a mask and carrying a knife—was justified in using force. RCMP carried out a separate investigation into the disruption at the open house.
"This gentleman and I are now kind of linked forever," Hadland said of McIntyre. "It seems to me it was a shame it happened in the first place, but somehow the police still have not even come close to asking me anything."
Hadland lives downstream from the proposed dam, where he farms and lives off the grid during the summer months. He says he has been fighting Site C since it was first proposed in the 1980s.
He said it wasn't until the next day, July 17, that he heard someone had been killed at the open house.
"The next morning a friend phoned me, because I don't even have the radio out here," he said. "He phoned me and said somebody had been killed. I couldn't even believe it."
Hadland said he wanted to "push" people at the open house, which he described as "a big schmooze fest." Around 50 people were in the banquet hall, he said.
"They were congratulating themselves on being so cool and having such a wonderful rapport with the community," he said. "But I didn't feel as if some of the people in the community who are against the dam would take the chances I could take, so I took them."
"I went in and flipped a couple tables. They have these big tables with these elaborate maps. It was the maps I really wanted to (damage). It didn't take long for them (BC Hydro employees) to surround me. There were people taking video of that too, and none of this has come out."
Hadland said he left before police arrived at the event, but maintains there was no need for RCMP to attend.
"I didn't push anybody, I didn't swear, I didn't yell," he said. "I was very methodical."
Hadland was soon escorted to the door and left. On the way out, he saw someone he believes was McIntyre in front of the restaurant.
"I saw this gentleman in the parking lot. He kept turning away from me whenever we'd look at each other. I thought 'he's just some BC Hydro guy waiting for me to drive away and follow me.' So I got in my car and left and watched the rearview mirror. I didn't even know they'd sent for police."
He said he went into the Dawson Creek detachment the next day, but hasn't heard from police or the IIO since.
"I really did kick a hornet's nest, then that poor beggar walked in behind me and got caught. It was a tragedy all the way around."
Earlier this month, the IIO said the "bulk" of the investigative work into the shooting has been complete. However, a spokesperson did not know when a report on the incident would be released.
—this is a developing story that will be updated as information becomes available.
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