Saskatoon mother still trying to make sense of fatal shooting of Nicholas Bell
Hilda Bell says her feelings for Saskatoon changed with a single gunshot on a December night.
"I hate this city with such passion," she said outside court Thursday.
"I hate it here. I have 34 years of memories here of my boy, from the year I carried him. Everywhere I go, I have memories, my boy."
Police charged 31-year-old Taylor Peepeequat with first-degree murder in the Dec. 14, 2023, shooting in an alley in the Meadowgreen neighbourhood. It's alleged that Peepeequat shot Bell, who had no criminal record, while robbing him of a case of beer.
Peepeequat returns to court next week.
Bell and her son's siblings came to court to see Peepeequat in person. After, she struggled to articulate how the past year has affected them.
Nicholas Bell worked as a drywaller and a chef. His mother also works in construction and said they would often meet for lunch when their paths crossed during the workday.
"We would meet anytime. All the new areas, that's where he'd be — Aspen Ridge, Rosewood — all those new buildings and houses," she said.
"So everywhere I look at these new buildings, new houses … my boy helped build this city."
Bell said the lengthy investigation also changed how she looked at people in the city.
"I wonder how many times I went into a store, or was coming out of a store or a gas station, and walked past him and didn't even know," she said.
She plans to organize a walk to celebrate Nicholas's life and honour his memory.
