Residents in a wide area straddling the Saskatchewan-Alberta boundary are free to move again after a lockdown order Tuesday evening was lifted at about 5:05 p.m., as Mounties searched for two suspects in a shooting that left one dead and three injured.
RCMP Insp. Ashley St. Germaine said the shooting happened at an outside location on Big Island Lake Cree Nation, 392 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon.
It was first reported at about 6 a.m. Tuesday.
The suspects were last seen riding an all-terrain vehicle, St. Germaine said, but could not provide a more detailed description.
“All day, Saskatchewan RCMP police officers have been actively searching for the two suspects,” she said at a news conference.
“Officers are, as well, investigating the scene and interviewing witnesses to determine whether the shooting is random or targeted.”
About two hours after the shooting was reported, RCMP issued a dangerous person alert. RCMP warned those in an area that stretches from Meadow Lake, Sask., to Bonnyville, Alta., to find a safe location and lock their doors.
“Do not share police locations,” RCMP also warned the public. “Stay away from Big Island Lake Cree Nation if you are not already in the area.”
St. Germaine said she couldn’t speculate how long the dangerous person alert would be in effect.
“That’s going to just be dependent upon the information that’s coming in from investigators,” she said. “I don’t want the community to remain in limbo for too long, but we just want to make sure that the community is safe.”
The Saskatchewan government also said that seven health centres in the area were locked down.
St. Germaine declined to confirm the identity of the person killed in the shooting, but said the RCMP was working with the Saskatchewan Coroners Service to confirm their identity.
“We are aware the name of the deceased has been shared on social media,” she said. “Nonetheless, we cannot share the identity of the deceased at this time due to our responsibility to follow the Privacy Act.”
She said three people were “injured by gunshot,” but RCMP did not have more details about their injuries or how many people in total required hospital treatment.
Investigators believe, she added, that the shooting was contained to one location at the First Nation.
Earlier in the day, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said the government was aware of the shooting and thanked first responders for their efforts “under difficult and evolving circumstances.”
“Our thoughts are with the community and all those affected,” he said on social media.
(with files from 620 CKRM news)
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