Saskatchewan RCMP identifies two suspects in First Nation shooting

WITCHEKAN LAKE FIRST NATION – Saskatchewan RCMP have issued a second alert for two armed suspects in a reported shooting Monday morning at a First Nation northwest of Saskatoon.

They said in a provincewide alert Monday morning that there were reports of a shooting on the Witchekan Lake First Nation, but later scaled back the search for the suspects to focus on the Witchekan, Sask., area.

Police say in a tweet Kelly Witchekan has brown hair, brown eyes, is five feet, nine inches and 140 pounds, and Melvin Starblanket has black hair, brown eyes, is also five-foot-nine and is 160 pounds.

Mounties say they have found the dark red Ford Mustang described in the earlier alert and say it is no longer involved in the investigation.

Residents are advised to stay inside and lock their doors.

Mounties say the shooting is not believed to be connected to Sunday’s deadly stabbing rampage on the James Smith Cree Nation and village of Weldon, northeast of Saskatoon.

One suspect in those stabbings remains at large.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 5, 2022.