PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. — A 26-year-old man is now facing a first-degree murder charge in connection with a shooting that initially left the victim seriously injured last summer, say Prince Albert Police Service (PAPS).
According to a PAPS media release, Preston Bird appeared Prince Albert Court of King’s Bench on Monday, where he was remanded on the murder charge in the death of James Primeau.
Primeau died in hospital on March 18, nearly nine months after he was shot on June 4, 2025, in the West Flat area in the 1900 block of 14th Street West.
Bird was originally charged in July 2025 with aggravated assault, numerous firearms offences and breaching his conditional sentence order.
Police say at approximately 6:45 p.m. on June 4, 2025, officers responded to the 1900 block of 14th Street West for a weapons complaint. The initial information stated a male had been shot.
Officers quickly arrived on scene and located a 57-year-old male victim with injuries consistent with a gunshot wound. Police provided aid to the victim until Parkland Ambulance arrived on scene and took the man to hospital with serious injuries.
Through their investigation, officers learned the suspect fled the scene on a bike.
Police say the suspect and the victim are believed to be known to each other.
According to a GoFundMe by his family, Primeau was shot in the throat, and his spinal cord was shattered while trying to evict a tenant. His family described him as gentle and kind-hearted.
