Tight-knit community rallying together after father, daughter shot dead in Halifax
Police say Cora-Lee Smith and Bradford Downey were victims of intimate partner violence
A pastor in North Preston, N.S., says people in the tight-knit community are shocked and devastated after a father and daughter were shot dead by the woman's boyfriend, the latest instance of intimate partner violence in a province that has declared it an epidemic.
Rev. Jivaro Smith of Saint Thomas Baptist Church said he knew both of the victims — 40-year-old Cora-Lee Smith and her father, 73-year-old Bradford Downey — in his capacity as a pastor and also from growing up in North Preston, a historic Black community roughly 22 kilometres outside of Halifax.
"We are a wonderful tight-knit community, but we are not just a community — I say we are a family," Jivaro Smith told CBC's Maritime Noon in an interview on Friday.
"We rally around one another and uplift and support one another. When one family grieves, we all grieve together. When one family celebrates, we all celebrate together. That's the type of community we are in North Preston."
Cora-Lee Smith and Downey were both fatally shot on New Year's Eve. Police were called to Gottingen and Charles streets around 10:30 p.m. and found the woman dead inside a vehicle, her father wounded next to her, unresponsive. He later died in hospital.
Hours later, her boyfriend was found dead several blocks away in the Halifax Common near the city's skating oval. Police said 39-year-old Matthew Costain died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Smith said local community groups are working to organize an event on Monday evening to offer trauma support to the community.
Grief counsellors and support workers will be on hand to speak with members of the family and the wider community to help them cope with the tragedy.
For the reverend, he said he has been highlighting the need for the community to put their faith in God.
"I know it's difficult at times to see Him in the middle of the storm, in the middle of the tragedy ... and so I just try to make sure I'm highlighting that His presence is right there, that he's never left."
Smith described Downey as someone who would give you the shirt off his back and "wouldn't hurt a flea." He said Cora-Lee Smith was the mother of two teenage daughters, was "full of life" and a wonderful person inside and out.
This was the fourth and fifth killings linked to intimate partner violence since October in Nova Scotia, where politicians have declared intimate partner violence an epidemic.
The declaration in Province House in September, which was supported by all parties, was in response to recommendations by the commission of inquiry that investigated the 2020 Nova Scotia mass shooting.
The commission heard that the gunman behind Canada's worst mass shooting had a history of domestic violence and had seriously assaulted his spouse moments before he began a 13-hour rampage that left 22 people dead.
Advocates for victims of gender-based violence in the province have been urging the Progressive Conservative government to do more to address the issue.
A request for an interview with Minister of Justice Becky Druhan was declined.
In a statement, she noted the government has increased funding and resources over the past year, "but this tragedy reminds us that our work is far from over."
Druhan said the province announced an additional $7.1 million in annual core funding to transition houses and women's centres as part of last year's budget, bringing their budget up to a total of $16.9 million annually.
"This was the first significant increase to the sector in more than 20 years," said Druhan.
"Intimate partner violence remains a deeply entrenched issue in our society and continues to affect far too many individuals and families. While progress has been made, we know there is more to be done."
Police have said the investigation into the homicides is ongoing, but they are not looking for any other suspects.
For anyone affected by family or intimate partner violence, there is support available through crisis lines and local support services. If you're in immediate danger or fear for your safety or that of others around you, please call 911.
If you or someone you know is struggling, here's where to get help:
- A list of transition houses across Nova Scotia.
- Family violence resources helpline 1-855-225-0220.
- The Transition Housing Association of Nova Scotia website.
- Canada's Suicide Crisis Helpline: Call or text 988.
- Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868. Text 686868. Live chat counselling on the website.
- Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention: Find a 24-hour crisis centre.
- This guide from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health outlines how to talk about suicide with someone you're worried about.
For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.
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With files from Maritime Noon