On April 18, 2017, at approximately 7:30pm, Island Lake RCMP received a call from the Garden Hill Nursing Station reporting that a youth had been shot. Officers attended a residence in Garden Hill and located an 11-year-old male youth with life-threatening injuries. The youth later succumbed to his injuries.
Police investigation has revealed that three male youths between the ages of 11 and 12, were playing in a residence when they located an improperly stored firearm. During the handling of this firearm by one of the youth, it discharged and struck another of the youth.
RCMP report that two arrests have been made as a result of this incident – a 12-year-old male youth and his 36-year-old father. The youth has been charged with criminal negligence causing death and careless use of a firearm. The father will be charged with careless storage of a firearm. They have both been released from custody.
The RCMP Serious Crime Unit, Thompson and Winnipeg Major Crime Unit, Thompson Forensic Identification Services and Island Lake RCMP continue to investigate.
