Two people are dead, including a suspect, after a mass stabbing in a First Nations community north of Winnipeg.
Officers from several Manitoba RCMP detachments received a report of an assault at the Hollow Water First Nation just before 4 a.m. on Sept. 4. The community is located about 200 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg.
RCMP Supt. Rob Lawson told reporters at a news conference that RCMP had been advised the suspect fled the scene. Emergency medical services were requested to the area just before 6 a.m., he said.
“Upon arrival, officers unfortunately located a number of people suffering serious injuries sustained from stab wounds. They were also alerted to a second scene, which caused concern—another residence in the community they attended to where even more additional victims were located, who were suffering from knife wounds,” he said.
There were eight community members injured in total, ranging in age from 18 to 60 years old, Lawson said.
“We can confirm, sadly, that an 18-year-old female has died as a result of these injuries.”
Officials said the teen was the brother of the suspect, Tyrone Simard, 26.
RCMP said one of the injured was a police officer who was involved in a vehicle collision with Simard, who was said to be heading south to Black River First Nation.
Simard was known to police, RCMP said, but they did not provide further details.
Simard died at the scene as a result of the collision, and the officer is recovering in hospital, police said during a news conference.
“We do expect her to make a full recovery. Without any doubt, she put her life at risk for the safety and security of Manitobans, and I wish to extend my heartfelt thanks to her and to all the RCMP officers who responded this morning,” Assistant Commissioner Scott McMurchy said.
Six people were taken to hospital by ambulance while two others were transported by STARS air ambulance, according to a spokesperson with the provincial health authority, Shared Health.
A code orange alert was declared at Winnipeg’s Health Sciences Centre. Code orange is issued for a sudden influx of patients. The alert was called off a few hours later.
The incident is still under investigation, police said.
“I can assure you that we have a very fulsome, expert investigative team situated in Hollow Water right now, with forensic investigators as well as major crime investigators and members from the forensic collision reconstruction unit and members from multiple detachments from across the area,” Lawson said.
‘Tragic’
“I ask the community to pray and support one another,” Hollow Water First Nation Chief Larry Barker said at the a news conference.Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew also spoke at the news conference, saying it was “tragic.”
“Our hearts feel very heavy, and we will be there to support you in the ways that are necessary,” he said to the Hollow Water community.
Kinew also thanked the first responders, RCMP, paramedics, and Air Ambulance team.
