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Three people were injured in a shooting outside a business in Fort Smith, N.W.T., early Saturday morning, RCMP have confirmed.
The incident happened as the opening event of the Fireweed Festival was drawing to a close in the community of just over 2,000 people situated on the Slave River next to the Alberta border.
A shelter-in-place order for Fort Smith was in place of 11.30 a.m. MT on Saturday, approximately eight hours after it was first put into effect.
“I urge everyone in the area to continue sheltering in place, follow all RCMP instructions and avoid sharing information that could interfere with the police response,” MLA Jay Macdonald, who represents Fort Smith, said in a statement.
The territorial government is in close contact with the RCMP and local authorities, he said.
Fort Smith Mayor Dana Fergusson asked the community to remain calm.
“Just hang in there and be strong because we know what a beautiful, great and amazing community we are,” she said. “This isn’t us and this isn’t what represents us.”
Fergusson was in the parking lot with her son outside Dirty O’Fergies bar when the incident took place. The bar, located in the Pelican Rapids Inn, is owned by her family.
“We were escorting people off the property like, you know, ‘Hey, time to go, night’s over,’ that kind of thing. And it happened right in front of us,” said Fergusson. “It just happened very quickly.”
What started as an altercation between a group of men resulted in multiple shots being fired, witnesses said.
Fergusson said she first went to help the injured, along with two staff members, before getting everyone else on the scene back into the safety of the building until emergency responders arrived.
What started the altercation is currently unconfirmed but Fergusson insisted the shooting was not representative of her community.
“It’s just sad because it didn’t need to be this way,” she said. “It’s not the community, it’s these bad apples bringing their bad energy.”
The three injured people are receiving medical attention, police said, without giving information on their identities.
Police describe the suspect as male with a heavy build, medium complexion, black hair and facial hair, wearing a gray sweater. He is believed to be armed.
The suspect is described by police as male with a heavy build, medium complexion, black hair and facial hair, wearing a gray sweater. (RCMP)
One of the organizers of the Fireweed Festival, Melissa Faith-Johns, told CBC she is “devastated.”
“I put my blood, sweat and tears into this festival. To have someone take that in a moment,” she said. “We have people here from all over Canada.”
Festival organizers were still waiting for direction from police on what will happen with the festival for the rest of the weekend, she said. The Park Party originally planned at Queen Elizabeth Territorial Park has been postponed. Further updates would be posted to the Festival’s Facebook page.
People are asked to contact police if they have information on the shooting. Police have opened a community portal for the public to collect digital evidence from witnesses.
Just before 8 a.m. MT on Aug. 22, the RCMP issued an updated image of the suspect, wanted after an active shooter event in Fort Smith. (RCMP)
Residents are advised to stay in their homes and not open the door for anyone, as well as refrain from posting photos of responding officers on social media.
The Fort Smith Health Centre is open for emergency access only, and is under lockdown. A mass casualty protocol was lifted at 7.45 a.m. MT, but the health authority said the lockdown will remain in effect until police advise it is safe to return to normal operations. Residents are asked to call ahead if possible before seeking care.
The Fort Smith Community and Recreation Centre is also closed until the shelter-in-place order is lifted.
In its fifth year, the Fireweed Festival NT is a music, culture and community festival. It includes live performances, interactive workshops and community-driven events in what organizers describe as an “inclusive and welcoming space.”