ONION LAKE — Saskatchewan RCMP has notified the Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) of a death that occurred during a Saskatchewan RCMP emergency response.
On March 18 at approximately 8:20 a.m., Onion Lake RCMP received a report that a woman was being forcibly confined in a residence by a man armed with a firearm on a rural property within Onion Lake Cree Nation. Onion Lake RCMP officers and the Saskatchewan RCMP Critical Incident Response Team responded immediately to contain the residence, the RCMP noted in its news release. The woman was able to exit the residence.
RCMP crisis negotiators communicated with the man and requested he exit the residence safely.
The province reported in its release that the RCMP Emergency Response Team (ERT) deployed tear gas within the residence in the mid-afternoon. The man did not exit the residence.
At approximately 3:20 p.m., officers entered the residence. The man was located inside with injuries and officers provided initial medical assistance. The man was later pronounced dead by EMS on scene. His family has been notified.
The province noted in its report, the 42-year-old man was the former domestic partner of the woman.
Three firearms were recovered from the residence. The province stated this included a rifle with a spent shell casing in the chamber.
There is no indication that RCMP officers discharged their firearms during this police response, according to the RCMP release.
As required by The Police Act, 1990, Saskatchewan RCMP notified the SIRT. SIRT will investigate the circumstances of the death.
Although the incident happened in the Saskatchewan RCMP jurisdiction, it occurred approximately four kilometres west of the Saskatchewan–Alberta border. The Alberta SIRT will be working in conjunction with the Saskatchewan SIRT as part of the oversight process.
The Saskatchewan RCMP is disclosing this as part of its ongoing commitment to transparency.
The initial reporting of this incident is based on preliminary information gathered following the event. Subsequent reporting related to this incident may contain additional details determined through further investigation.
