Sask. police watchdog says RCMP discharged guns in fatal Fishing Lake First Nation incident

Saskatchewan’s Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) says it has determined that RCMP officers fired their guns, as it continues its investigation into a fatal incident on Fishing Lake First Nation that left a 34-year-old man dead.

The deceased was identified as 34-year-old Joseph “Joey” Desjarlais. He died following an RCMP pursuit on the First Nation in which shots were fired.

Desjarlais was a suspect wanted in connection to a lengthy list of armed robberies across east-central Saskatchewan.

Around 11:30 a.m. on Sept. 24, police say they witnessed a white van travelling at a high rate of speed on Fishing Lake First Nation that was later determined to have been driven by Desjarlais.

When police attempted to stop the van later that day, that was also found to have been stolen from a school on the First Nation, it sped away. It was also confirmed that Desjarlais was thought to be armed with a firearm inside the van.

RCMP then chased the vehicle down several rural roads and fields in the Fishing Lake First Nation area before discharging their firearms, striking the van when it stopped in front of a residence in an attempt to intercept the vehicle, SIRT said.

SIRT did not say if Desjarlais fired a weapon during the incident. 

According to a news release from SIRT, the van then continued into a wooded area of the First Nation where an RCMP vehicle made contact with it, bringing it to a stop.

Desjarlais was found unresponsive inside the van before later being pronounced dead by EMS. His cause of death has yet to be confirmed. 

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SIRT said it is also aware of civilian-recorded video of parts of the incident and is strongly asking those in possession of video to contact them.

“SIRT's investigation will examine the conduct of police during this incident, including the circumstances surrounding the man's (Desjarlais’) death. The RCMP will maintain conduct of the investigation into the man and his actions prior to and during the incident. No further information will be released at this time. A final report will be issued to the public within 90 days of the investigation ending,” the release said.

Fishing Lake First Nation is about 120 kilometres northwest of Yorkton.

-- With files from David Prisciak.