Anniversary of Fatal Shooting

Friday, January 28, 2011 at 14:19

A dark chapter in the city of Prince Albert’s history is being marked today.

It’s been exactly 20 years since Leo Lachance was fatally shot in Prince Albert.

He was found by a passer-by, lying in the snow several feet away from the gun-shop where the bullet had come from.

At the time the shooting drew widespread calls of racism.

Carney Nerland, a known white-supremacist, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and received a four year sentence.

However, many people thought he got off lightly considering his racial views.

Rose-anna Moses is Leo Lachance’s sister.

Speaking from her home in Alberta, she says she’ll never forget that tragic day.

Roseanna said the event was very difficult for her family to deal with, and something they rarely talked about.

She feels justice was never served.

Meanwhile, the mayor of Prince Albert says he believes the shooting forced Prince Albert to hold a mirror up to itself.

Jim Scarrow says he believes, however, that race relations have improved since that time.

The mayor also says respect is the foundation that must be used to chart the way forward.

Scarrow also notes a sculpture commemorating Lachance’s memory sits in front of the provincial court building.