FLYING DUST FIRST NATION – On June 29 at approximately 5:53 p.m., the Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) received a notification from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) regarding an officer-involved shooting that had just taken place on the Flying Dust First Nation.
SIRT’s civilian executive director accepted the notification as within SIRT’s mandate and directed an investigation by SIRT.
On June 29 at approximately 5:08 p.m., Meadow Lake RCMP received a call from a female youth reporting that a family member was intoxicated and aggressive within a residence on the Flying Dust First Nation. Two RCMP members operating separate vehicles responded and arrived at the residence at approximately 5:19 p.m. Almost immediately after arrival, the members were confronted outside of the residence by the subject of the call, a 39-year-old man, who advanced toward the members while holding a knife in each hand. The responding members issued verbal commands for the man to drop the weapon, but he continued to advance and at approximately 5:20 p.m., one of the RCMP members discharged two rounds from his service pistol, striking the man in the torso and causing him to fall to the ground.
RCMP members provided first aid to the man and contacted EMS, who responded to the scene and transported the man to hospital. The man was subsequently transported to hospital in Saskatoon by STARS Air Ambulance and remains in hospital in Saskatoon.
Following the notification, a SIRT team consisting of the civilian executive director and six SIRT investigators was deployed to the Meadow Lake RCMP Detachment and the incident scene on the Flying Dust First Nation to begin their investigation. A community liaison will also be appointed pursuant to S.91.12 (1) (a) of The Police Act, 1990. Two knives were recovered from the ground at the scene of the incident and have been secured as exhibits for both the SIRT and RCMP investigations.
SIRT’s investigation will examine the conduct of police during this incident, including the circumstances surrounding the man’s arrest. The RCMP will maintain responsibility for the investigation of the original call for service as well as the man’s actions during the incident. No further information will be released at this time. A final report will be issued to the public within 90 days of the investigation ending.
SIRT’s mandate is to investigate alleged cases of serious injury, death, sexual assault or interpersonal violence arising from the actions or omissions of on and off-duty police officers, or while an individual is in police custody.
