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Chief Rene Chaboyer says the community is concerned about security. A 22-year-old Prince Albert has died and four have been arrested.
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The Saskatchewan RCMP says a man has died after an “exchange of gunfire” between officers and the occupant of a house in Cumberland House Cree Nation.
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According to a press release, the Cumberland House RCMP learned on Thursday that a man wanted with an order to assault a police officer was in the community.
Officers “contained” a house on Pemmican Portage Avenue, and then called for support when they saw a man on the property armed with a firearm, according to the statement. The RCMP’s critical incident response team responded to the scene.
Police issued the first warning around 1:15 p.m. about a man with a gun at large in the community. Shortly before 3:30 p.m., they reported that shots had been fired from a house at 133 Pemmican Portage Avenue and urged nearby residents to close and close doors and windows.
Several people were evacuated from nearby homes and the Nisto Awasisak Memorial School closed as a precaution.
The RCMP says two people inside the house surrendered and were arrested immediately after the alert, followed by a third person shortly afterwards. One of them was seized with a loaded firearm.
People still in the house started firing guns from inside, prompting the RCMP to issue a second alert. The RCMP said that after failed attempts to use “various tactics” to try to stop people inside from firing and leaving the house to be arrested, gunfire was exchanged between officers of the team. response to critical incidents and one of the occupants.
At around 4.50pm, a man left the house and was arrested without incident. He was taken to hospital for an unrelated illness. The RCMP said it told officers there was another man injured inside.
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Officers entered the home and provided emergency medical care. The man was taken to hospital by the SEM, where he was pronounced dead. He was identified as a 22-year-old by Prince Albert and his family has been notified. The RCMP said they would not release his name.
The RCMP has called on Moose Jaw City Police to conduct an independent external investigation into the death, with the Ministry of Justice appointing an independent observer.
The other four people detained during the incident remain in custody and the RCMP continues to investigate.
In a call with StarPhoenix, the head of Cumberland House, Rene Chaboyer, said the community is shaken, with a deep concern for the safety and well-being of its members.
Chaboyer said there was a strong police presence in the community and along the road as of 4:30 p.m. Friday. He said the investigation is ongoing and some of the individuals are still at large.
“The trigger for all of this is actually drugs. Drugs and gang violence,” he said. “Right now there is a lot of evil on the island. Waiting for prayers and cures right now. By no means are we still out of the woods. I hope more activity continues, but we will try to continue the fight.”
The murder of 24-year-old Marisha Hoksbergen in the community and recent charges related to the death of Saskatoon’s Megan Gallagher have weighed heavily on the community, she said.
Gallagher was Chaboyer’s cousin and Hoksbergen was the daughter of one of his best friends. Hoksbergen’s party will take place on Saturday.
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“Right now these are pretty tough times at home,” Chaboyer said.
Chaboyer said the Cumberland House chief and board are looking to hire 12 peacekeepers to form the Swampy Cree Tribal Clan, a community security group whose functions will include community patrols, a visible presence and escalation situations.
It will also help establish relationships between community members and the RCMP.
“What we’re really trying to do is help the general service and the security of the community, not only in the reservation, but also in the municipal part; when there is a call, they will be on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. the week”. He said.
Cumberland House is about 440 miles northeast of Saskatoon.
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The RCMP reports that the gun incident “concludes” at Cumberland House
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