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One person is dead and another is seriously injured as Saskatchewan RCMP continue to search for a gunman after warning the public about an active shooter in Pelican Narrows.
No other injuries have been reported, police said in an update Monday evening. RCMP did not release any further information about the two victims.
Police are searching for a male wearing all black clothing and a face covering. They warned people not to approach anyone matching that description.
RCMP said they will provide more information Tuesday morning — or sooner, if “an increased public safety risk is identified.” Updates can be found on the SaskAlert website.
Pelican Narrows, which is part of Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation, is about 420 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon.
RCMP were sent to a reported shooting near the community’s health clinic shortly before 2 p.m. CST and sent an alert saying there was an active shooter in Pelican Narrows. In an afternoon update, police said the male was on foot, headed in an unknown direction.
Earlier Monday, RCMP asked people to find a safe location and lock their doors. They also asked people to not share police locations and to stay away from the area.
Police are asking anyone with information that would help them to call 911 if it’s an emergency, 310-RCMP if it’s not an emergency, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.
A week and a half ago, leaders in Pelican Narrows pleaded for help with what they called “ongoing and serious violence” in their community.
They banned all private gatherings and prohibited the use of all-terrain vehicles and other off-road vehicles.
Leaders also said they were going to re-establish security checkpoints. On Friday, the First Nation announced the checkpoint was operating and would remain in place “until further notice.”
The increase in security measures came following two homicides in the community, including a shooting death on May 21. Jaden Custer, 26, was killed, while Brett McCallum, 31, has been charged with second-degree murder.
On May 13, the remains of 16-year-old Jay’siiah Webb-Long of Ontario were found during a search, more than a year after he travelled to Saskatchewan and then went missing.
Residents and leaders have been calling for help regarding public safety concerns for years.
Pelican Narrows declared a state of emergency that stretched from late 2022 into 2023 amid ongoing violence, which some residents linked to the drugs being brought into the community.
Another state of emergency was declared in 2024, and the chief pleaded for help from the provincial and federal governments.
Since then, the First Nation has developed a community safety plan, hired a drug-detection dog and built a shelter for people experiencing domestic violence.