4 dead, 2 injured after shootings in Saskatchewan; suspect in custody

TORONTO — A gunman opened fire at a high school and a second location in an aboriginal community in northern Saskatchewan on Friday, leaving four dead and at least two injured, officials said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said from Davos, Switzerland, that a suspect was in custody. Trudeau initially said five died, but police later corrected that to four.

“This is every parent’s worst nightmare,” he said. “The community is reeling.”

Kevin Janvier said his 23-year-old daughter, Marie, a teacher, was shot dead by the gunman. He said police told him that the gunman first shot two of his siblings before killing his daughter.

“He shot two of his brothers at his home and made his way to the school,” he said. “I’m just so sad.” Marie was Janvier’s only child. He said he didn’t know if the shooter knew his daughter.

Trudeau said the shootings occurred at a high school and another location but did not release information on the second location.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police Chief Supt. Maureen Levy said the gunman was arrested outside the school but declined to release details about him.

Levy said she wasn’t sure how many suffered injuries.

“At the present time there are four individuals deceased,” Levy said.

Levy declined to release more details, saying the investigation is in its early stages. She declined to give the sex or ages of the deceased.

A student who was returning from lunch when shots were fired said his friends ran past him urging him to get out.

“Run, bro, run!” Noel Desjarlais-Thomas, 16, recalled his friends saying to him as they fled La Loche’s junior and senior high school.

“‘There’s a shotgun! There’s a shotgun!’ they were just yelling to me. And then I was hearing those shots, too, so, of course, I started running.”

The grade 7 through 12 La Loche Community School is in the remote Dene aboriginal community of La Loche, Saskatchewan.

The school’s Facebook page said it would remain on lockdown until the Royal Canadian Police resolve the matter. It asked the public to stay away.

It was unclear how many died at the school.

“This is every parent’s worst nightmare. The community is reeling.” — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, from Davos, Switzerland