RCMP are updating the public following a dangerous person alert and shooting in the community of Pelican Narrows on Monday.

RCMP Inspector Ashley St. Germaine says at around 2:00pm, officers learned of a shooting that took place near the community’s health clinic. Upon further investigation, they discovered it had taken the life of one woman and seriously injured one man. The victims were located in two separate locations on the same road near the local health clinic. The suspect was still at large, so a dangerous person alert was issued.

Germaine says the local school was placed on lockdown, and officers worked to get students back to their houses at the end of the school day.  

The, at about 7:00 p.m., a suspect was arrested at a home, and the alert was canceled. 

Germaine says charges have yet to be laid. 

“We’re still combing through a ton of information, the crime scene, speaking to eyewitnesses, and gathering other evidence. We’ll work with our Crown Council in order to determine the appropriate charges and then lay those.”

They have not established motivation for the shooting and cannot confirm whether it was targeted. She adds that investigators are still working to formally identify the deceased.

Chief Superintendent Murray Chamberlain adds that Pelican Narrows had been dealing with officer vacancies, and a new pilot project will see Saskatoon officers deployed in Pelican Narrows on rotation this fall. 

“In the Pelican Narrows detachment area, violent crime has increased by 49 per cent over the last ten years. This is extremely concerning considering the small local population.”

As of 2021, the community consisted of about 2133 people. Pelican Narrows is located 500 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon.