Saskatchewan RCMP sent an alert Monday afternoon saying there was an active shooter at the clinic in Pelican Narrows.
The first alert, sent at 2:28 p.m. CST, said the suspect was unknown. In an update sent at 3:16 p.m., police said the suspect was male, wearing all-black clothing with a face covering.
It said the suspect was on foot, but the direction of travel was unknown.
Police advised residents to find a safe location and lock their doors. They also said residents should not approach the suspect.
Police are asking people to not share police locations and to stay away from the area.
“More information to come,” the update said. “The situation is rapidly unfolding, and we will provide updates as soon as possible.”
Pelican Narrows, which is part of Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation (PBCN), is about 420 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon.
Updates can be found on the SaskAlert webpage.
A week and a half ago, leaders in Pelican Narrows pleaded for help with what they called “ongoing and serious violence” in their community.
They banned all private gatherings and prohibited the use of ATVs and other off-road vehicles.
Leaders also said they were going to re-establish security checkpoints, and on Friday, PBCN announced the checkpoint was operating and would remain in place “until further notice.”
The increase in security measures came after two homicides in the community, including a shooting death on May 21. Jaden Custer, 26, was killed and Brett McCallum, 31, has been charged with second-degree murder.
On May 13, the remains of 16-year-old Jay’siiah Webb-Long of Ontario were found in a planned search, more than a year after he travelled to Saskatchewan and then went missing.
Residents and leaders have been calling for help regarding public safety concerns for years.
Pelican Narrows previously declared a state of emergency that stretched from late 2022 into 2023 amid ongoing violence, which some residents linked to the drugs being brought into the community.
Another state of emergency was declared in 2024, and the chief pleaded for help from the provincial and federal governments.
Since then, PBCN has developed a community safety plan, hired a drug detection dog and built a shelter for people experiencing domestic violence.
