Lillooet attack leaves former band chief's sister in intensive care

The former chief of the Bridge River Indian band says that his sister remains in intensive care after being seriously injured in Wednesday's attack at the band's offices.

Saul Terry told CBC News that his sister, Sharon Terry, had suffered a fractured skull during the attack, and remains in intensive care.

• Attack leaves 4 people in hospital

"She is holding tough," he said. "She's waiting and seeing if she can recover without surgery."

The identity of the man who entered the band office with weapons just before 8:30 a.m. PT Wednesday and assaulted 11 staff, three seriously,  remains unknown. He died at the scene after being restrained and becoming unresponsive.

Terry said that the situation is "tragic", and affects the whole community.

"We are all victims here," he said.

Asked if he had an insight into what might have provoked that attack, Terry said that indigenous communities are suffering from an accumulation of social and economic issues, which he termed "administrative bullying".

"The smallest thing could trigger something that has maybe been festering for years," he said. "You just can't push people around with administrative bullying — people can't take it."

He said the band administration had no choice but to implement the rules and regulations imposed on them.

All neighbours, all friends

Lillooet Mayor Marg Lampman, said she was in disbelief at what happened.

"It is really upsetting because we have all the small communities around us, and they are all neighbours, all friends," she said.

"It's very difficult to comprehend what has taken place."

A Lillooet contractor, Brian Tremblay, was critically injured in the attack.

"Everyone knows him," Lampman said. "He is a friend."

The RCMP, the Independent Investigations Office (IIO), and the BC Coroners Service are all involved in the ongoing  investigation.