Surrey police shooting: Hudson Brooks wasn't suicidal, says family

Friends and family of the young man from Surrey who was shot dead by police last weekend haven't been able to find out much about why Hudson Brooks was killed.

The Independent Investigations Office has only said the 20-year-old was shot and killed early Saturday morning near the South Surrey RCMP detachment during some kind of altercation with an RCMP officer.

The female officer who also suffered a gunshot wound to the leg during the incident was responding to a call about a suicidal man in significant distress, according to the IIO.

But the Brooks family doesn't believe that was the case.

"He has been misrepresented," said Beaudry Brooks, Hudson's brother.

"I've seen the word suicidal thrown around. That is not right. It's not what he was and anyone who knows him, his family and his friends, it's hurtful to see that."

In a statement released earlier this week, the IIO said, "Other than police issued equipment, nothing of significance was recovered from the scene."

When asked whether that means Brooks was unarmed, the organization saidit won't elaborate on the wording of the release.

Quirky sense of humour

Murals dedicated to Hudson Brooks cover the South Surrey skatepark that he used to frequent as a teenager.

People who used to run into Brooks at the park say they can't believe the young man, who was known for his sharp but friendly tongue, came to a violent end.

"He used to bug me, but he knew the way he would bug me would make me happy," Beaudry Brooks said.

"He would make fun of my nose. He would call people squid. He was quirky and happy and he made you feel good in his own way."

Paul Durandsays Brookswas easy to get along with.

"He's a nice guy. A chill guy. He never hurt anybody," he said.

"He didn't deserve what happened to him. They didn't need to take their guns out and shoot him."

Neither the IIO, nor the RCMPhas revealed what happened in the moments leading up to the shooting, and why, or how a weapon was drawn.