Dec 21, 2024 Story by: Editor
The Black Council of Windsor-Essex, alongside the family of Colin Grey, is urging police and other authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding Grey’s recent death, which occurred shortly after his release from police custody.
“Without adequate information to the contrary, we are left to presume that racial prejudice and profiling played a role in the discreditable actions of those authorities involved,” stated Leslie McCurdy, chairwoman of the Black Council of Windsor-Essex, in a letter written on behalf of the organization, Grey’s spouse Rose, and the deceased’s family.
Grey, aged 63, was detained on November 29 by officers from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) at the Ambassador Bridge on suspicion of impaired driving. He was subsequently arrested by Windsor police and taken into custody.
Grey’s family, citing his decade-long history of Type 2 diabetes, publicly alleged that he was denied necessary medical treatment while in custody. His death occurred shortly after his release, just hours after being detained at the international crossing.
“Alongside many members of the local community, we are asking for transparency and accountability regarding Mr. Grey’s tragic and unexpected outcome,” McCurdy’s statement continued.
The letter questioned the treatment Grey received, asking why his medical condition was reportedly disregarded and why accommodations mandated by the Ontario Human Rights Code were not immediately provided. The council also raised concerns about whether race may have played a role in his treatment.
Further questions were posed regarding whether Grey was informed of his right to legal advice, the duration of his detention (allegedly four hours with the CBSA and two hours with Windsor police), and why the provincial Special Investigations Unit (SIU) chose to dismiss the case despite Grey collapsing and dying soon after his release.
Windsor police previously confirmed Grey’s detention by CBSA officers at the Ambassador Bridge before his transfer to the downtown police headquarters on the morning of November 29. After his release, officers discovered Grey in “medical distress” near the station and administered life-saving measures until Essex-Windsor EMS arrived.
The Ontario chief coroner’s office has since launched an investigation, noting that a full inquiry could take six to nine months if further testing is needed beyond the initial autopsy.
McCurdy emphasized that Grey’s widow Rose and The Black Council of Windsor-Essex are expecting “the appropriate authorities will launch the required investigations immediately.”
The letter was sent to various officials, including federal and provincial representatives, municipal councillors, Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens (who also chairs the Windsor Police Services Board), police Chief Jason Bellaire, and members of the police services board.
“Too often, Black and other racialized citizens are subjected to discrimination and negative stereotyping that endangers our lives,” McCurdy concluded in the letter. Source: Windsor Star
