It’s confirmed that at least one life has been lost in a school shooting in La Loche on Friday afternoon.
Clearwater River Dene Nation Chief Teddy Clark says he knows there are casualties, including someone he personally has lost.
When contacted on Friday afternoon, Clark said he didn’t want to get into details at a sensitive and traumatic time for the community.
But Clark does say there are some who are in critical, unstable condition being transported by medevac from the community.
He also says crisis teams have already been deployed by the Meadow Lake Tribal Council.
Nationally he says the Assembly of First Nations has already offered to step up in any way possible.
La Loche’s acting mayor, Kevin Janvier, issued a statement confirming that “the suspect has been apprehended and is in custody.”
The RCMP has been on scene since early Friday afternoon.
The community’s two schools were in lockdown – the shooting reportedly occurred in the high school.
Local confirmation that shots had been fired in one of La Loche’s school came out soon after.
A news release issued by the RCMP states “La Loche RCMP is currently on scene of a serious incident at La Loche Community School at the Dene high school building. The school is currently in lockdown. As a precaution, the Ducharme Elementary School is currently in lockdown.”
STARS Air Ambulance has been dispatched to an emergency call from the area.
When Clearwater River Dene Nation School, located 10 kilometres from the school in question, was contacted its director of education said all details were coming in from social media at the moment.
However, those details have the kids “pretty upset right now,” Mark Klein said.
The news release from the RCMP states that “parents and community members are asked to not attend the Dene High School at this time due to the active, ongoing incident. Parents only are asked to attend the Ducharme Elementary School on Mission Street in La Loche.”