Saskatoon police arrested and charged two teens with manslaughter after a 12-year-old boy died of serious injuries on Monday.
The boy was found on the 1000 block of Matheson Drive with a serious injury and died in the hospital shortly after, becoming the city’s fifth homicide victim of 2024.
Two boys, 12 and 13 years old, were brought into custody after the death and charged with manslaughter on Wednesday. They are also charged with four weapons-related offences.
An adult suspect was also brought into custody with the boys, but no charges have been laid.
Deputy Chief of Operations Cameron McBride spoke more about the homicide on Thursday, saying the victim died of a gunshot wound.
There were a lot of aspects McBride couldn’t speak on but said the evidence they found led them to believe that manslaughter charges were appropriate.
“Any time you have youth in the community who are involved in a circumstance that leads to the death of someone like this, it’s shocking, and we grieve along with the family,” McBride said.
He said there was nothing to indicate an increase in youth-on-youth violence in the city, but said the number of assaults is slightly higher this year.
“We also continue to see incidents of social disorder and that type of activity increasing slightly as well.”