Sagkeeng First Nation, 145 km northeast of Winnipeg, is pictured in this Google Maps screengrab.
A Manitoba reserve is in mourning after a popular, vibrant nine-year-old boy was shot dead by his 14-year-old brother in what police are calling a tragic accident.
RCMP Corporal Miles Hiebert said the two boys were at home Thursday night on the Sagkeeng First Nation, 145 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg, when the shooting occurred. The nine-year-old boy was shot once and taken to hospital with upper body injuries, but was pronounced dead on arrival.
"At this time, we have no evidence whatsoever to indicate that this was a deliberate shooting," Cpl. Hiebert said. "All indications are pointing to a tragic accident. However, we still have people to interview and a lot of questions that still need to be answered."
It's not clear who owned the rifle the boys were handling, but at least one parent was at home at the time, Cpl. Hiebert said. He wouldn't say what kind of charges, if any, could apply.
"First and foremost, this is a tragic, tragic event," he said. "It will take time to be able to interview the family members that were present and get statements from them and determine exactly what happened."
RCMP haven't talked to all family members, many of whom are totally distraught, Cpl. Hiebert said. Although details have yet to emerge about how the boys got the rifle, the tragedy underlines the importance of storing firearms safely, Cpl. Hiebert said.
"If people have children that have access to firearms or go hunting with their family members or use firearms, the proper training and handling of them is critical as we can see," he said. "The situation can go from nothing to deadly in moments and there is no turning back the clock."
People in the close-knit community say they are devastated by the death. Chief Donavan Fontaine sat down with the family Friday and said they are "barely hanging in there."
"It's a big blow," Chief Fontaine said. "It's very hard on the families. The extended family is supporting as much as they can. Everybody's impacted because everybody's connected – the school, the children. Everybody's hurting. It's very tough."
Chief Fontaine said the band council had talked last month about hunting safety and that discussion will take on a new tone now. The nine-year-old victim was a popular kid with lots of friends, he said.
"He was a vibrant little boy, a very happy kid," he said. "Nice upbringing, he came from a good family. He had a lot of friends. He's just going to be really missed by his classmates."
Band councillor Derrick Henderson said word spread quickly and people are trying to come to grips with what happened.
"It's just so tragic," said Mr. Henderson, who is friends with the boy's family. "It's even hard for me to understand, to try to understand."
Mr. Henderson said living off the land is an important part of aboriginal culture so guns are not uncommon in the community.
"Being aboriginal people, we do live off hunting and fishing," he said. "People do go out and hunt and trap and fish. It is our livelihood. People do have firearms in their homes."
The shooting underscores the importance of keeping all guns locked away from curious children, he said.
A Facebook page for the reserve, which is also known as Fort Alexander, called it "another sad tragedy in our community."
"The news of tragedy will not spread as fast as the pain," it reads.
The page became a virtual book of condolences as details of the shooting emerged throughout the day.
"We can't imagine the hurt/pain that the family is going through right now," wrote one person identified as Ogichidaa Anishinaabe. "I know words can be of little solace, but that is all we can do in the immediate."
The boy's death comes after another loss earlier this week. Two men were charged in the beating death of a 41-year-old Sagkeeng man.
Mounties say Eugene Robert Fontaine died of blunt-force trauma after an argument at a home on the reserve. His body was found in a shed behind the home.
The Canadian Presss