(file photo)

By Susan McNeil

SIRT starts 11th investigation

Shotgun recovered from fatal Red Earth shooting involving RCMP

Dec 22, 2023 | 5:00 AM

With the Serious Incident Response Team investigating a fatal shooting between a man on Red Earth Cree Nation and a responding member of the RCMP, investigators said that they recovered a shotgun at the scene.

The shooting happened around 3:30 am on December 19 as officers from the Carrot River and Nipawin RCMP detachments responded to calls of shots being fired on the reserve, which is located about 60km east of Carrot River.

As police were searching for the subject of the calls, they found and took two people into custody and saw a third man, who has not been identified.

When police spotted him, a gun was shot hitting the driver’s side window of the RCMP vehicle, causing non-life-threatening injuries to the officer.

Responding officers repositioned and looked for the 25-year-old suspect. Once they found him, a second confrontation happened, one RCMP member shot the man with their service carbine.

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He was given first aid by responding officers until EMS arrived and pronounced him dead at the scene.

According to SIRT, five of their investigators have been assigned to look into the actions of the officers and the circumstances surrounding the suspect’s death but RCMP will maintain control over the initial investigation.

They are required to release their findings within 90 days of the end of the investigation.

SIRT is just under one year old, beginning operations in 2023 with their first investigation into the shooting of Johnathan Gardiner on January 16 by Prince Albert Police.

No report on that investigation or has been completed nor has any timeline been given to have it completed on any of the multiple occasions paNOW has asked for updates.

A second investigation was begun by SIRT in April after the death of Boden Umpherville following a vehicle stop in Prince Albert. No report has been released in that case either.

At the end of May, SIRT began investigating an incident involving RCMP who were responding to a call on the Moosomin First Nation. In that case, the suspect vehicle rolled after failing to stop for police and four people were injured.

In June SIRT was called to investigate after a suspect was injured while being taken into custody by the Regina police. That man is alleged to have stabbed himself with a kitchen knife causing serious injuries.

A month later in July, SIRT was once again called after a man who had been lodged in the Pelican Narrows RCMP detachment went into medical distress and died. Despite the man having been searched, an unknown white powder was found in his cell.

One week after that, PAPS was once again the subject of a SIRT investigation after a police service dog seriously injured a man who had just been chased on foot by officers.

Towards the end of September, Saskatoon Police called for a SIRT investigation after one of their police service dogs seriously injured a suspect who had also fled from officers on foot.

Estevan Police were next to call on SIRT after a suspect who was being photographed when a confrontation started with officers and the 19-year-old man tried to get an officer’s gun.

During the struggle, one officer was shot, and a second officer shot the suspect who was later declared dead.

One week after that, SIRT responded to a call from Saskatoon Police after a stolen vehicle that was being chased by officers at high speeds ended up jumping over an embankment near the river.

The driver left the vehicle and ran but was subdued by several officers after falling down a second embankment. The man complained of pain and hospital staff later determined he had an injury.

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panews@pattisonmedia.com