Terrence Daigneault was in Prince Albert court on Friday for sentencing submissions after a pleading guilty to shooting at police in La Ronge in 2022. (submitted/RCMP)

By Susan McNeil

La Ronge police shooting

Court reviews video showing Terrence Daigneault opening fire on La Ronge RCMP officers

Apr 15, 2024 | 2:35 PM

A video shown at the sentencing hearing for Terrence Daigneault shows the then 29-year-old getting out of a dark sedan in La Ronge and shooting multiple times towards an RCMP vehicle.

Two members of the RCMP were on patrol on Reserve Road in La Ronge on June 19, shortly before noon when the sedan went speeding by.

On the Watchguard video from the police vehicle, the sedan is seen pulling into a driveway and parking beside a home.

The driver exits the vehicle and runs behind the home and seconds later, Daigneault got out of the seat behind the driver holding the gun and a 750 ml bottle of alcohol.

He turned toward the police car and shot the vehicle multiple times, hitting the windshield, the radiator and the bumper.

Court proceedings

'The impact of this trauma will echo for generations': court case surrounding La Ronge woman's death reaches conclusion

Dec 11, 2024

education

Auditor finds non-compliance with international trip, credit card and expense claims at Northlands College

Dec 11, 2024

Court proceedings

Drugs and weapons bust in Stanley Mission, results in two year sentence

Dec 10, 2024

Bullets struck the windshield, the radiator and the bumper but officers were not harmed. (submitted photo/RCMP)

“This happened apparently unprovoked, just by the police presence themselves,” said Crown Prosecutor Daniel Arnot.

“Lethal force was justified, and police restraint is the only reason Mr. Daigneault is here today.”

Daigneault then got back into the car, and the gun was pointed out the open sunroof towards the officers again.

One officer shot back twice but there was no evidence of the bullet hitting the vehicle or where they might have struck in the yard.

Using the police vehicle’s megaphone, Daigneault was ordered to get out of the vehicle and surrender.

He got out, ran behind the house and it was three days before Saskatoon Police arrested him at a business.

Arnot pointed out that there were two homes nearby and the Senator Myles Venne School – filled with students – was about 200 metres to the north.

The school was placed on lockdown while police hunted for Daigneault and other suspects who were in the vehicle, including Celine Charles and Allan Sanderson (the alleged driver).

READ MORE: Police hunted for Daigneault and other suspects for three days.

Arnot also reminded the Prince Albert Court of King’s Bench on Friday, April 13, that when Saskatoon police arrested Daigneault three days later, he did not submit to arrest quietly.

He was taken into custody at a hotel on Northridge Drive after a standoff and threatening to shoot the officers who were trying to arrest him.

Arnot also pointed out that the gun Daigneault used has not been recovered and was shooting 9 mm parabellum rounds, designed to kill people.

“There’s a 49 per cent increase in violence towards law enforcement in the last year in Saskatchewan,” he said.

The judge has not yet given a sentence. Daigneault will be back in court on May 24 for his next hearing.

—

susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com