Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation (PBCN) leaders are pleading for help to deal with a public safety crisis in Pelican Narrows, the remote northern Saskatchewan community where RCMP are investigating multiple homicides.
A virtual press conference is underway with PBCN leaders. They’re asking for more public safety resources and better coordination with government, law enforcement and the health-care system.
Just two days ago, Pelican Narrows was on lockdown while RCMP searched for an active shooter in the community. A shooting earlier that day left one woman dead and seriously injured a man.
Pelican Narrows declared a state of emergency in 2024 amid ongoing violence and has since enacted a series of measures aimed at reducing crime. The state of emergency has not been rescinded in the years since.
On Tuesday, RCMP said violent crime in the Pelican Narrows detachment area increased 49 per cent in the last 10 years.
Pelican Narrows, which is part of Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation, is about 420 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon.
The RCMP issued a dangerous person alert Monday afternoon, warning of an active shooter who was on foot. It stayed in place until a suspect was arrested later that night.
In late May, leaders in Pelican Narrows pleaded for help with what they called “ongoing and serious violence” in their community.
They banned all private gatherings and prohibited the use of all-terrain vehicles and other off-road vehicles.
Leaders also said they were going to re-establish security checkpoints. On Friday, the First Nation announced a checkpoint was operating and would remain in place “until further notice.”
The increase in security measures came after two homicides in the community, including a shooting death on May 21. Jaden Custer, 26, was killed, and Brett McCallum, 31, has been charged with second-degree murder.
On May 13, the remains of 16-year-old Jay’siiah Webb-Long of Ontario were found during a search, more than a year after he travelled to Saskatchewan and then went missing.
Residents and leaders have been calling for help addressing public safety concerns for years.
Pelican Narrows declared a state of emergency that stretched from late 2022 into 2023 amid ongoing violence, which some residents linked to the drugs being brought into the community.
Another state of emergency was declared in 2024, and the chief pleaded for help from the provincial and federal governments.
Since then, the First Nation has developed a community safety plan, hired a drug-detection dog and built a shelter for people experiencing domestic violence.
