Algin “Chucky” Sasakamoose. Photo courtesy Facebook.
The body of a man who allegedly opened fire on Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation earlier this week is returning to the reserve on Friday.
Lifetime resident, 59-year-old Algin “Chucky” Sasakamoose, died around 5 p.m. on Tuesday. Earlier that day, around 10 a.m., a 56-year-old man identified as Wayne Donald Teed was killed before a suspect fled on an ATV.
Sasakamose died of a self-inflicted gunshot after the RCMP surrounded his sweat lodge, where he’d been since the morning, said Gerry Greyeyes, who works with the local radio station.
Greyeyes is connected to both the suspect and victim. He is the godfather of one of Chuck’s children, and Teed had moved to Ahtahkakoop a few years back after marrying Greyeyes’ niece Roxanne Carla Ahenakew-Greyeyes.
She died of cancer about five months ago.
The days since Tuesday’s events have been full of sadness, and confusion.
“It was surreal, it was unreal. Just walking around, people were looking dazed, lost. Nobody was really talking to each other but everybody knew what was on each other’s minds,” Greyeyes said.
Both Greyeyes and Ahtahkakoop Chief Larry Ahenakew say the community is in shock.
Not only was the violence completely unexpected, and so was the identity of the suspect.
Chuck was the eldest son of NHL legend Fred Sasakamoose, and a lifelong resident of Ahtahkakoop.
“We never thought he would do that,” Ahenakew said.
Chuck was “almost a role model” in the community, Greyeyes said; a self-employed hunting and trapping guide and stay-at-home dad.
“He lived a very sober and quiet life basically, and so for something like this to occur, it just, you know, you can’t find a person in the community who would find something bad to say about Chucky Algin Sasakamoose,” Greyeyes said.
Having known Chuck his whole life, Ahenakew said everyone on reserve has been touched by this tragedy.
Mental health supports have been offered by RCMP emergency response people, counselling staff from the health clinic and Health Canada mental health therapists, he said.
“Even at our offices, they were kind of afraid, kind of in shock what happened also,” Ahenakew said.
Band members are looking for answers that they may never find after the apparent murder-suicide. There’s been speculation, but no confirmation from police on any motive behind the violence.
Shooting victim Wayne Donald Teed. Photo courtesy Facebook.
Neither Greyeyes nor Ahenakew knew Teed well. He was a heavy equipment operator, and court documents reveal he had a checkered past when it comes to aggressive behavior.
The appeal decision included a statement from a Regina police officer who said he knew Teed, and that he was a violent individual. Other constables gave statements that he had been verbally and physically assaultive towards police in the past.
Previous to that incident, Teed had a long rap sheet that included an abduction and attempted rape (before the term rape was changed in the Criminal Code to sexual assault). The convictions spanned from coast to coast, from Saint John, NB to Victoria, BC.
Teed had sought to apply for leave to appeal the decision with the Supreme Court, but that never came to fruition.
Ahenakew said both the Teed and Sasakamoose families have asked him to maintain their privacy while they mourn.
Ahenakew said Teed had three children, and they’ll be taking care of funeral arrangements in the south of the province.
For now, the reserve is focusing inward on helping Chuck’s family grieve. Community members have been gathering at the band hall since Wednesday.
“We’ll be there probably every evening supporting the family and of course during the day different family members will come in and stop and visit. A lot of support from the surrounding communities and calls to all the families and just prayers for them to get through this,” Ahenakew said.
Ahenakew said Chuck’s body will return home on Friday, with a prayer service scheduled in the evening.
His funeral will be held Saturday at 1 p.m., and media is asked not to attend.