Canadian police: Killing of gay outreach worker not a hate crime

A Morinville man faces murder charges after the death of an aboriginal and gay activist in Whitecourt Saturday, although RCMP say the killing was not a hate crime. “Shocked, distraught. I didn’t think it would happen,” said Earl Sunshine, who was cousins with the victim, Dolan Badger, 49. RCMP found Badger badly injured in a home in Whitecourt Saturday morning. He was taken to hospital, where he later died. Police arrested William Kootenay, 22, at the scene. He now faces a second-degree murder charge. While living in Edmonton, Dolan became well-known after writing about his experiences growing up as a gay aboriginal man in northern Alberta. He later moved to Vancouver, where he became an outreach worker and HIV activist. Sunshine, who lives in Vancouver, says Dolan was a vital part of the community and will be sorely missed by people there.