THUNDER BAY — Nearly 50 community members from Thunder Bay and Sandy Lake First Nation staged a vigil and walk in search of Deborah Anishinabie in the biting cold on Thursday evening.
Rachel Anishinabie said that family and community members have been walking the streets on foot trying to cover as much ground as they can.
She said they walked down Simpson Street because that was the route Deborah often took home.
“Thunder Bay used to be a really safe place, but in the last five years that just deteriorated significantly. We want her home. She is Indigenous. So, you know, she's really vulnerable. It's a vulnerable population to be an indigenous woman and we shouldn't be scrutinized just because we want to go out and have fun and meet friends,” said Anishinabie.
“We shouldn't feel like we need to watch our backs every moment.
Anishinabie (41) was last seen on Dec. 5 in the area of the 100 block of Simpson Street.
According to Detective Kevin Bradley of the Thunder Bay Police Service, Anishinabie was last seen leaving Newfies Pub in an unknown direction.
She is described as Indigenous with long black hair and brown eyes, and approximately 5’1” tall and 180 lbs.
She has a star tattoo on her left shoulder and several smaller tattoos on both of her arms.
“We're always hopeful that she's out there safe and that we just need to keep on looking, Grand chief of Nishawbe Aski Nation, Alvin Fiddler, told Dougall Media. "And hopefully, we will find her alive and safe and healthy soon.”
He said that more of Anishinabie's family and community members from Sandy Lake First Nation are arriving Friday to help with the search.
“I think the number of volunteers will continue to grow at the day's end until she is found,” said Fiddler.
Friday afternoon, the Thunder Bay Police Service held a press conference asking members of the public to come forward with any new information that might lead to the whereabouts of Anishinabie.
Bradley said the police service is asking businesses and residents in the area with outdoor video cameras, such as dash cams and doorbell cameras, to please come forward with any video surveillance from the early morning of Dec. 5.
“We're asking members of the community in Simpson Street, Main Street, Northern Avenue and those sorts of areas to check their backyards for anything that looks suspicious, all their old buildings. To make sure there's nothing of concern in any laneways that they have access to,” Bradley said.
If you have any information about the whereabouts of Anishinabie, please contact police at (807) 684-1200. Submit tips anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, and online at www.p3tips.com.
