Chatlain said he has met with the victims’ families as well as the family of a 17-year-old boy who is charged with four counts of first-degree murder, seven counts of attempted murder and unauthorized possession of a firearm.
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The teenager is suspected of having killed two brothers Drayden and Dayne Fontaine, aged 13 and 17 at their home before going on to the school.
The deaths occurred at the school and at a residential location, Brenda Butterworth-Carr, Saskatchewan commanding officer for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, said at Saturday’s briefing.
Saskatchewan RCMP say that during an eight-minute period in the La Loche Community school on Friday afternoon, nine people were shot.
Marie Janvier’s friend, Ashton Lemaigre, said Marie, who had graduated from the school two years earlier, loved her job, was kind and patient with kids and talked about getting her teaching degree someday.
“It is important for people in that community to know that they are not alone, that this, this situation has touched, not just their community in such a devastating way, but the whole province, the whole country”, Goodale told CTV News.
Shootings at schools or on university campuses are rare in Canada.
Wood began teaching in La Loche last September, CTV reported. “Taking innocent lives”, he said. “She was a fantastic person”. If we exceed our goal, the rest of the money will go to the La Loche Community School to help their students and staff cope with this tragedy… “And then I was hearing those shots too, so of course I started running”.
Kevin Janvier said his daughter was an only child. She noted that she, herself, grew up on the trap lines and didn’t think there was much support for the group’s actions. “I can’t believe it happened, I just can’t”, he said. But really, the question is, “Why did this have to happen?” his loved ones said. Witnesses said some students hid in gym dressing rooms for hours. Clarke also remarked on how involved Wood was in the community, whether through church, school or work.
The Saskatchewan premier said a range of issues were discussed at the gathering, including infrastructure, education and mental health. La Loche, like a number of aboriginal communities in Canada’s prairie provinces, has been plagued by high suicide rates and poverty.
“We don’t know the specifics around the tragedy, but I can say, in the general sense, that the link is hope”, said Wall.
The 17 year old boy charged in Friday’s mass shooting in La Loche will be in Meadow Lake court Monday for his first court appearance.
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Wall said that the provincial government will continue to “offer support”, such as counselling, done through the local school division and health region, as well as financial services to help those who have been forced to travel to Saskatoon to visit the victims of the shooting. “Right now we’re just in a state of shock and disbelief”.
