Four schools in eastern Saskatchewan were in a hold and security situation on Friday after a man was fatally shot during an early morning break-in at a nearby home.
Esterhazy and Broadview RCMP were called just after 4 a.m. CST regarding a burglary and a suspicious death at a home near Round Lake, about 20 kilometers south of Stockholm, Sask., and Esterhazy, Sask., police said .
Mounties found a man who lived in the home dead at the scene. Police believe the death is suspicious and investigators have determined the man was shot.
Officers also found an injured woman who was taken to hospital, police say.
The STARS ambulance was dispatched to Esterhazy, a town 180 kilometers northeast of Regina, before 3:45 a.m. CST on Friday, but a spokesman said STARS stepped down because an ambulance was not medically necessary.
Police say the investigation so far has revealed that three men broke into the home, stole at least one firearm and the homeowner’s vehicle, and then fled. Police did not say whether the attackers were adults or juveniles and currently have no descriptions of the suspects.
The stolen vehicle was later abandoned and found ablaze on a nearby grid road, police say.
RCMP continues to investigate.
As a precaution, Good Spirit School Division No. 204, which operates 28 schools in east and central Saskatchewan, has placed four of its schools under hold-and-secure — a protocol used when an emergency occurs outside of, but is unrelated to, a school.
Affected were PJ Gillen School and Esterhazy High School in Esterhazy, Macdonald School in Stockholm and Grayson School in Grayson.
School doors were locked and monitored, and only students were allowed in. According to the school district, classes could continue as normal.
The department lifted the hold-and-secure procedure Friday at 3:00 p.m. CST.
Two First Nations near the scene of the crime are also taking precautions.
The Cowesses First Nation has locked the doors to their offices, schools and day care centers. According to a Facebook post, the community is not in lockdown but doors will not be opened to anyone who cannot be identified.
Meanwhile, the Sakimay First Nation has closed all community buildings. According to a Facebook post, guidance is urging residents to stay indoors until more information is released.
RCMP expects there will be a continued police presence in the area south of Stockholm and Esterhazy into the next day while investigations continue.
Meanwhile, RCMP is urging the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity or information to police by calling 911 or your local RCMP department or the police department.
Anyone living in the area who has camera security systems installed is asked to review their footage for anything that could help investigators.
