‘We lost a young man’: RCMP still search for suspects in Sask First Nation shooting

By Canadian Press on December 31, 2025.

BIG ISLAND LAKE CREE NATION — Security has been doubled on a Saskatchewan First Nation as the search continues for a pair of suspects wanted in connection with a deadly shooting.

The RCMP says the shooting happened early Tuesday morning in Big Island Lake Cree Nation, 400 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon, which left one person dead and three others injured.

No arrests have been made but a band official has confirmed the identity of the young man who died.

Geoff Sandfly, the band manager and director of security at Big Island Lake Cree Nation, said the victim is Neil Wahpistikwan and he is friends with his father.

“It’s been a very stressful couple of days, but I grieve for the family. They’re really close to me so I was there with them at the scene,” Sandfly told The Canadian Press Wednesday in the council office on the reserve.

The suspects were last seen riding an all-terrain vehicle, but no further details have been provided by police.

The First Nation, in an attempt to beef up security, already has manned checkpoints at the two entrances to the reserve.

Sandfly said he met with RCMP major crimes Wednesday morning and downloaded video from the 218 live cameras on the reserve but there wasn’t any footage of where the attack happened.

He said homicides aren’t common but rampant drug and alcohol abuse, especially crystal meth, combined with high unemployment means that “something happens that is bad.”

Sandfly said five or six years ago there was a serious gang problem but efforts from local security, the community and the local RCMP have reduced it.

“It’s still here but not as much as they were five or six years ago. The good thing is the community members are starting to come out and report their family members, report their nephews and nieces. They’re getting sick and tired of it,” he said.

“And now look what happened. We lost a young man.”

Sandfly said he’s not sure if the shootings were gang related.

“I can’t confirm that. From what I hear from the father is he left the gang life a year back or so.”

Sandfly said police don’t have anyone in custody right now but they will continue to search. He doesn’t think they’ve gone far.

“The RCMP have a drone as well as the marshals and our security have not tracked anybody leaving the reserve,” Sandfly said.

“They’re on the reserve. I don’t know where. Somebody’s harbouring them and that’s not good. Everybody knows everybody. They’re not all the best of friends but they know each other.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 31, 2025.

Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press