An RCMP officer who was seriously injured while responding to a mass stabbing in Hollow Water First Nation is set to be released from hospital.
Police said in an email Monday morning that the officer — who was driving to the scene in the community 160 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg when the suspect in the deadly attack crashed with her vehicle — was expected to be discharged later in the day.
Meanwhile, Shared Health said one of seven community members injured in the attack was released from the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg on Sunday. Three patients had already been discharged from the hospital on Thursday.
Shared Health said Monday’s statement would be the final update it can provide on the patients in order to respect their privacy. It said they’re all expected to be discharged in the coming days.
Marina Simard, 18, was killed Thursday morning in the mass stabbing, which shocked the close-knit community. The suspect, 26-year-old Tyrone Simard, died after crashing with the RCMP vehicle while attempting to flee in a stolen car.
Tyrone Simard was Marina’s brother. Court had ordered him not to contact his sister as part of his bail conditions when he was released from custody on June 12. He faced assault and mischief charges stemming from June 8, as well as sexual assault, sexual interference and invitation to sexual touching charges from 2017.
Manitoba MLA Ian Bushie, who’s from Hollow Water and who has family connections to the victims, said the community needs time and space to grieve.
“I think you see that messaging coming out from not only family but leadership as well, too, and the community at large,” said Bushie, who’s also the provincial natural resources minister. “It’s paying respect to the victims here.… As we go forward, the conversations about supports and that will be ongoing.”
Grand chief raises questions about cell service
Meanwhile, a Manitoba grand chief said better cell coverage could have helped responses to emergencies such as last week’s attack.
Grand Chief Jerry Daniels of the Southern Chiefs’ Organization told The Canadian Press that First Nations communities deserve connection to emergency services that are the same as what other communities have.
The community of more than 1,000 residents lacks cellphone service and people rely on alternatives, including land lines and wireless network calling.
Bushie said that improving connectivity will be part of future conversations in Hollow Water and other communities. But he added that he didn’t think the lack of connection was an issue in the response to the attack.
“I know when the call went out, whether it’d been on Facebook, whether it’d been on a telephone, the call was answered immediately and the support was there and the resources were dispatched as quickly as possible,” he said.
Innovation Minister Mike Moroz said he’s aware of the gaps, and that the government is committed to securing uniform service across rural Manitoba.
“We want people to be able to reach out as quickly as possible in the most efficient way possible,” he said. “We’re going to continue to work with the federal government to make sure that every Manitoban is able to do so.”
Bell Canada said in a statement its network currently covers about 99 per cent of Canadians and that it continues to work with governments to expand coverage, including building new towers in Manitoba.
A sacred fire was lit in the community Sunday. Bushie said another one will be lit once everyone is back home.
A Grade 12 class in the community is set to host a candlelight vigil for the victims on Tuesday.
As a community continues to grieve following the mass stabbing in Hollow Water First Nation, attention is being drawn to unreliable cellphone service in rural Manitoba.
