RCMP treat deaths of two men, two women on Saskatchewan First Nation as homicides
The RCMP logo is seen in Surrey, B.C., on April 13, 2018.Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press
Four deaths on Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation in southern Saskatchewan are being treated as homicides, RCMP said Wednesday.
They said the initial investigation suggests the home east of Regina where the people were found Tuesday was targeted.
The dead are two men and two women, but that they haven’t been formally identified.
After the bodies were found, Mounties said they received reports of a man pointing a gun at people at Zagime Anishinabek about 95 kilometres from Carry the Kettle.
The 29-year-old suspect in the gun-pointing was arrested at a Regina home earlier Wednesday.
Keagan Panipekeesick has been charged with firearms charges, but police have not confirmed a connection to the Carry the Kettle slayings. Two other people were also arrested at that residence.
“We are committed to continuing to provide updates as they become available. If an imminent risk to public safety is identified, we will notify the public,” RCMP said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the chief of Carry the Kettle said security is in full force and its community hall is open for people to visit, pray and smudge.
Chief Scott Eashappie could not be reached Wednesday but said on social media there will be a four-day healing fire on the reserve to honour the dead.
“I want to send a special thanks to all those that have come to sit with us last night, prayed for us, the calls (and) messages,” Eashappie wrote.
“To my other family nations, we appreciate all the reach-outs, support and most importantly, the love we have felt in the last 24 hours.”
In another social media post, Chief Lynn Acoose of Zagime said members of her First Nation were sending condolences to those at Carry the Kettle.
“We hope that justice prevails for the people who lost their lives to this senseless violence,” she said.