Peaceful rallies in Jefferson County have provided a small snapshot into the nation-wide uprising against against police brutality and racial discrimination.

But activists here want to remind citizens that the Olympic Peninsula is not without its own examples of the systemic racism and police violence that is pervasive across the nation.

“If people in Jefferson County are looking for ways to make an impact locally, we need to step up in support of Native American and Black people who have been targeted by police violence here,” said Samuel Swenson-Daly, a member of the Chimacum Creek Racial Justice Collective. “And there’s a live, unresolved case in our neighborhood. We absolutely need to step up to resolve that case.”

You may have seen the words, “Justice for Stoney,” or “Remember Stonechild Chiefstick” painted in black on cardboard signs held high at protests, marches, and rallies in Port Townsend.

These refer to a case many activists have been organizing around for nearly a year. On July 3, 2019, Stonechild Chiefstick, a member of the Chippewa Cree Tribe in Montana, with family members in the Suquamish Tribe, was shot and killed by Poulsbo police officer Craig Keller. The shooting occurred in front of hundreds of people in Poulsbo during the city’s “Third of July” outdoor party.

Chiefstick was 39 years old and a father of five.

The Kitsap Critical Incident Response Team investigated the use of force, and the investigation noted that three other officers at the scene did not pull out their firearms — two pulled out tasers and the other did not reach for a weapon at all. Only Keller pulled out his firearm.

Footage from Keller’s body camera shows Chiefstick moving away after Keller attempts to grab his arm. Witnesses said Chiefstick turned toward the four responding officers with a screwdriver in his hand. This is not shown in the camera footage because Keller’s camera fell to the ground. Less than five seconds pass before two shots are fired. Keller shot Chiefstick once in the head and once in the chest.

After the Kitsap response team completed the investigation, prosecutor Chad Enright announced in April that Keller was justified in shooting Chiefstick. Keller, who had been on administrative leave, returned to work.

On May 5, the Suquamish Tribal Council released a statement asking for further review of the case.

“We believe that this was a preventable homicide,” reads the statement, which was published in the Kitsap Sun. “This father of five, a valued member of our community, did not have to die.”

The tribal council argued police officers should have used de-escalation methods to handle the interaction, since the investigation showed Chiefstick was experiencing a substance abuse episode.

“There were other options,” the statement reads. “He could have been asked to leave the crowded July 3 gathering when it was evident that he was experiencing either a mental health or substance abuse episode. That opportunity was clearly present during the first encounter with the police, as shown in the police body-cam footage.”

Meanwhile, activists across the Olympic Peninsula are calling for Keller to be fired from the Poulsbo Police Department.

“We’d like to see him fired immediately,” Swenson-Daly said. “We’d like to see his license to carry a firearm permanently revoked. And once Keller’s been fired, we’d like to see Kistap County and the city of Poulsbo put all necessary resources toward an investigation into the systemic failures that led to Stoney’s murder.”

Members of the Chimacum Creek Racial Justice Collective and volunteers with the Jefferson County Anti-Racist Fund, among other local organizations, have been spreading the word on how to help the cause.

These organizations have been handing out fliers, posting on social media, about how to call the Poulsbo mayor and police chief and demand Keller be fired and the incident be investigated more thoroughly.

In addition, many local activists made the trip week after week to Poulsbo to attend city council meetings.

“Before COVID-19 hit, every city council meeting, every other week, has had a packed house in many cases of community members from Suquamish to Kitsap and Jefferson counties showing up to speak during public comment,” Swenson-Daly said.

Many local activists have participated in marches organized by Chiefstick’s family, as well.

“One of the things that members of the family and friends of Stoney said was, ‘Don’t let up on these people. Don’t let up the pressure on the mayor,’” Swenson-Daly said.

There are many ways local individuals can get involved, by making phone calls, attending marches, or just learning more.

The website linktr.ee/justiceforstoney includes a list of links with more information on the incident and how individuals can organize around the issue. Facebook and Instagram pages, @JusticeForStoney, also provide an opportunity to learn more.

A memorial caravan is planned for July 3, the anniversary of Chiefstick’s death. The caravan will leave the Suquamish Village parking lot at 7 p.m. and travel to Muriel Iverson Williams Waterfront Park in Poulsbo.

“Stoney’s death is a very live and really borderless issue for Native people in this region,” Swenson-Daly said. “The illusion of a boundary between Kitsap and Jefferson counties is not meaningful for people who have been here for generations and generations and are part of the same cultural group. It’s very much a local issue if you can think just a little outside the box of those borders.”