Shirley Williams, 77, and son Jovan Williams, 39, confirmed as victims in police-involved shooting
'They were decent people, they were not trouble-makers,' says relative
CBC News has confirmed with family members that 77-year-old Shirley Williams and her son, 39-year-old Jôvan Williams, are the victims in a police-involved shooting Thursday in the tiny town of Granisle, B.C.
Eight Independent Investigations Office investigators have been dispatched to the northern interior village which is located approximately 150 kilometres east of Smithers.
In an online profile Jôvan Williams lists his work background as security/carpenter. His aunt, June Williams, confirmed he had recently left his security guard job with the Lake Babine Nation to live with and help out his elderly mother.
"My niece has no more mom and no more brother now," said June Williams. "They were decent people, they were not troublemakers."
RCMP say they were called to a "neighbour dispute involving a handgun" at about 12:30 p.m. PT on Thursday.
Twenty-year Granisle resident and teacher Anne Williams, no relation, told CBC News she saw five police cars and officers with rifles at the scene of the shootings.
Anne Williams says she was friends with Shirley Williams, and believes a long-standing and bitter quarrel between neighbours may have triggered the incident.
"There`s been neighbourhood trouble there for four years," she said.
Police say they surrounded Shirley Williams' home and tried to make contact with the residents at 1:22 p.m. PT Thursday.
They say over an hour later one person exited the home and confronted officers, and shots were fired. It's not clear who fired the shots.
A second person then exited the home and also confronted police, and shots were fired again.
Anne Williams described Granisle as a tight-knit "mostly retirement" community of about 300.
"Everyone is really upset," she said. "It's a really caring community ... a community that helps each other."
Shirley Williams was a long time resident of Granisle.
With files from Farrah Merali