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A First Nations community was put into lockdown on Monday after reports of a violent incident that included police being shot at, and RCMP are now confirming two people have been killed in what they are calling a double homicide.
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“Chief and council are sad to announce there was a community lockdown this morning due to a serious incident that cost the lives of two band members,” chief and council of Minegoziibe Anishinabe, a community also commonly referred to as Pine Creek First Nation said in a public notice released on Monday.
RCMP have now confirmed that on late Sunday evening, around 11:30 p.m., Winnipegosis RCMP received a report of shots fired in the northern community located about 110 kilometres north of Dauphin.
Police said officers responded and located an injured 34-year-old man. Life-saving measures were attempted by officers, but the man died from his injuries on scene.
The death was determined to be a homicide and RCMP say their Major Crime Services took control of the investigation.
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At around 4:30 a.m. on Monday, a deceased woman was also located in the area where the first man was located, RCMP said.
Police say a potential suspect was identified, and by around 5:25 a.m. on Monday, a 19-year-old man was contained in a residence in the community.
Shots were fired at RCMP officers from the residence, but no officers were physically injured, police say.
The suspect attempted to flee the residence on an off-road vehicle, but was apprehended by attending officers and Dauphin Police Dog Services, and now remains in custody.
Charges have not yet been formally laid and police continue to investigate, with the investigation now involving the RCMP Major Crime Unit, Dauphin Forensic Identification Services, and Manitoba RCMP Forensic Collision Reconstruction.
In their Monday notice, Minegoziibe Anishinabe council said they do not believe there are any further safety concerns in the community now that a suspect has been arrested, and said they were commending RCMP for what was a “timely response.”
Council added crisis response and counselling are now being made available in the community at the Pine Creek Health Office for those who may be struggling with news of the deaths.
— Dave Baxter is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
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