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LLRIB chief shocked by shooting which left young boy with serious injuries

Jan 15, 2019 | 4:00 PM

The chief of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band (LLRIB) is asking for prayers for a young boy and his family who were recent victims of a shooting.

“It was shocking to find out and I was really worried, and of course concerned, about the five-year-old boy who was hit in the foot with the gunshots,” Cook Searson said. “It’s a shocking thing to happen because it’s something that doesn’t happen very often in our community. We have been concerned with this type of activity for some time now.”

According to police, La Ronge RCMP were dispatched to a residence on the nearby reserve Jan. 13 at about 9:15 p.m. and officers found the house had been shot at multiple times. One bullet penetrated a wall and left the young boy with serious, but not life-threatening injuries. Cook-Searson stated she’s been in contact with the RCMP and was informed extra resources have been brought in to assist with the investigation.

There has been no word yet from the RCMP about whether or not the shooting was gang-related and Cook-Searson said she couldn’t confirm if it was. She noted the band formed a community safety committee back in 2017 to form a plan to respond to such incidents, adding there has been multiple meetings in several communities to come up with solutions. Cook-Searson also stated the First Nation has been working with the Town of La Ronge and Village of Air Ronge on crime-related matters.

“We know there are issues out there we need to address and we also know we need the community’s help in order for us to make a difference,” she said. “We want make sure our communities are safe and that’s always our priority.”

In an email to larongeNOW, the La Ronge RCMP stated the matter is still under active investigation and there will be more information released as the matter unfolds. 

Anyone with information about this or any other crime is asked to contact La Ronge RCMP at 306-425-6730 or contact Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or submit a tip online. 

 

derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno