La Loche was the scene of tragedy Friday when a 17-year-old boy killed two boys at a home in the town then drove to the Dene building of La Loche Community School, opening fire and killing a teacher and a teacher’s assistant.
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The youth is also charged with unauthorized possession of a firearm. He is due to make a court appearance in the coming days.
Perry Herman, who also knows the accused, said the teen was teased about his large ears. “I know the family”.
“We are talking about a guy who would spend hours, probably spent four to five hours on Christmas Eve taking Christmas cards to all of his friends and personally delivering Christmas cards”, said Jackson.
“I got scared and I got down to, like, behind the desk”, he said.
“I want to take a moment and give thoughts to that community, the families, the students and the school affected and we wish you all the best”, he told the crowd.
“I absolutely agree with the member that, up until now, there have been absolutely inadequate resources and serious gaps in terms of the health outcomes and the opportunities that First Nations children and Inuit children have to access these resources”, she said.
Annette Montgrand says her heart is broken after a relative was shot on Friday.
Lauren Lemaigre, a family friend, said the suspect had a history of being bullied and generally kept to himself.
But he was never violent, she said, and she was shocked to hear he was a suspect.
Authorities were yet to name all the dead and the exact number of wounded, but the two brothers were killed at their home, followed by the teachers at the school.
Piche added that Dayne and Drayden Fontaine are related to the suspect.
Still, indigenous communities will ask hard questions about gun security after the shooting, said Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations Chief Bobby Cameron, who represents more than 70 indigenous groups in the province. Much like his demeanour in court, he was not at all happy, which is understandable. “It’s a very tragic situation”.
“We need more funding”. This could be any community.
In 2015, the Saskatoon StarPheonix reported on a suicide rate in the La Loche area and nearby communities that averaged 43.4 deaths per 100,000 people between 2008 and 2012 – several times higher than the average annual rate for the prairie province as a whole.
Canada’s new Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in December promised a “renewed, nation-to-nation relationship with First Nations peoples” and an inquiry into the high rates of missing and murdered aboriginal women. Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said, at a news conference in La Loche Sunday afternoon, that Prime Minister Trudeau was planning to visit the community in the near future.
Many solutions were cited: The town requires a direct road to Alberta’s Fort McMurray to help employment, more mental health supports, recreation and employment, according to the gathered leaders.
Janvier believes the La Loche Community School should be torn down and rebuilt to promote healing in the community.
“We just went through a dark, ten-year-long nightmare under the Harper regime where programs and services were harshly cut back and I think this is the outcome of it”, Phillip said. “I told everyone to run”, he said.
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Donna Johnson with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education said no decision had been made and the wishes of residents will be considered.
