Boy, 16, turns self in after double shooting in Norway House

A 16-year-old boy has turned himself in after a double shooting in Norway House Cree Nation in which one man was killed and the second man was injured Tuesday evening.

Residents of the northern First Nation were urged to lock their doors late Tuesday as RCMP searched for a person in connection with a shooting at the Playgreen Inn bar.

Police said Wednesday the 25-year-old man from the community who was shot died at 10:45 p.m.

Several community members and relatives confirmed to the Free Press that the victim is Tyrone Clarke.

A 38-year-old man, also from the community, was treated and released from hospital.

RCMP were called at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday after a disturbance just south of Lagoon Road in Norway House, a roughly 800-kilometre drive from Winnipeg.

“Upon arrival, officers located two males with gunshot injuries,” police said in a news release.

An alert from the First Nation said the suspected shooter was seen running into the bush of nearby Fort Island and that RCMP were searching for him.

The youth turned himself in at 2:05 p.m. Wednesday.

Police had warned the public the suspect was armed and dangerous.

The First Nation said there was no threat to the community and the shooting appeared to be targeted.

All offices and businesses in Norway House were locked down into Wednesday amid a heavy police presence. The lockdown in the community of more than 6,700 was lifted at noon.

Lifelong resident April Osborne had to explain to her granddaughter why she wasn’t able to go outside.

“Everybody was scared,” said Osborne. “My granddaughter was wondering why there was no school. ‘What’s a lockdown?’ she said to me. I had to explain to her that something happened and this is for our safety … we have to be safe.”

The accused, who cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, remains in custody.

A manager at a local restaurant said she was worried for her safety.

“When I heard about it, I just started calling family and told them: ‘stay inside, lock the doors and not to go anywhere,’” said Davida Arthurson, manager at the York Boat Diner. “Where it happened, on Fort Island, I live just across the river from there.”

Arthurson said there are numerous trails that connect the community and she was worried whoever was responsible for the shooting might show up in her neighbourhood.

She said the death of the man has been difficult for the tight-knit community. She said she was good friends with Clarke’s parents but declined to comment further.

— with files from The Canadian Press

morgan.modjeski@freepress.mb.ca