Pimicikamak Cree Nation under lockdown after gunshots fired, 1 person dead: chief

Pimicikamak Cree Nation Chief David Monias says a shooter is still on the loose and the northern Manitoba community remains in lockdown Saturday morning after gunshots were fired and one person died. 

“The shooter is still on the loose. We’re under lockdown,” Monias said in a video update posted to social media around 10:30 a.m. on Saturday.

RCMP said in a news release on Saturday afternoon that police were notified of a seriously injured person on a main road into the First Nation around 9:30 p.m. on Friday.

Officers found two people at the scene, one of whom had a gunshot wound, police said. The other person wasn’t hurt and didn’t need medical attention.

A 42-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

The major crimes unit and local RCMP officers are still searching for the suspect, who is believed to be known to the victims and may still be in the community, police said.

The homicide investigation is still ongoing, the release said.

Residents asked to stay home

Residents of the First Nation, located about 530 kilometres north of Winnipeg, were asked to stay inside their homes and lock all doors and windows, Chief Monias said in a separate statement posted to social media during the early morning hours.

Community members shouldn’t open their doors to people they don’t know and children shouldn’t be allowed to play outside or wander unsupervised, he said.

But some residents weren’t listening to leadership on Saturday morning. Monias said some people continued to drive around the First Nation despite the lockdown.

The chief reminded everyone to stay inside.

“Your safety is our top priority. The lockdown is a precautionary measure to protect every member of our community while police conduct their investigation,” he said in an earlier video statement.

All Treaty and Indian Days gatherings and events have been cancelled until further notice, Monias said.

The chief asked residents to co-operate with police and report any suspicious activity to RCMP at 204-676-2345 or 911 in an emergency.

“We continue to ask you if you have information, please let the RCMP know. Any detail or information you may have may be very useful,” Monias said, while warning residents not to share rumours or unconfirmed information on social media. 

“We have to break that cycle of silence,” he said.

Pimicikamak leadership will provide further updates when they have more information from police, he said. 

CBC News reached out to Monias on Saturday.