Mounties in Saskatchewan resume hunt for suspect in deadly shooting

The hunt is back on for a suspect in a deadly shooting this week on a remote northern Saskatchewan First Nation, Mounties said Wednesday. 

The hunt began Monday after a shooting at a home in Pelican Narrows, 500 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon.

A woman, identified as being 28, died at the scene, and a man was taken to hospital.

Two suspects were initially arrested. One was released without charges soon after and, on Wednesday, police confirmed the second person had been let go.

At the same time, they released video footage of who they believe to be the suspect. It depicts a person dressed in black with a black head covering running down a road.

Local residents had been under a shelter-in-place order for hours Monday, but that order was not renewed Wednesday.

“There is not believed to be an imminent risk to public safety,” Mounties said in a news release.

Insp. Ashley St. Germaine, acting officer in charge of Saskatchewan RCMP’s major crimes branch, urged witnesses or those with information to come forward.

“We know the community of Pelican Narrows is on edge because of this shooting, and other recent violent events,” St. Germaine said.

“Homicides are solved with the help of witnesses. We know there are people in the community who have information and have not shared it with police.”

Names of those shot have not been released.

Police said they continue to investigate but now believe the gunplay followed an altercation at a residence and that those involved knew each other.

The shooting happened less than two weeks after a homicide in the small community.

A post made on the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation’s Facebook page said that killing prompted an emergency meeting of local officials to discuss an “escalating public safety crisis.”

RCMP say violent crime in the Pelican Narrows area has increased 49 per cent over the past decade driven by complex issues that include mental health and addiction.

A notice published by the First Nation on Monday said its band office and local schools would be closed for the rest of the week because of the shooting. The local health centre is also being limited to those with serious medical conditions.

 This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 3, 2026.

— By Jeremy Simes in Regina

Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.