SIRT investigating Fishing Lake First Nation death involving RCMP

An investigation has been opened into a fatal incident on Fishing Lake First Nation earlier this week involving an RCMP officer.

The Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) will lead the investigation.

On Sept. 24, around 11:30 a.m., RCMP received information that a 34-year-old man, who was wanted for several recent robberies and had been the subject of recent public bulletins, had been seen on the Fishing Lake First Nation.

RCMP learned that a van had been stolen from a school in the community and that the driver was reportedly armed.

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Police attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver continued on, speeding.

RCMP say they continued to pursue the van through Fishing Lake First Nation until it pulled up a home in the area. Police fired their guns, hitting the van. The driver restarted the vehicle and started to drive off into a field.  It came to a stop when it was struck by a police vehicle.

Police found the driver unresponsive inside the van. He was pronounced dead at the scene by EMS.

The man has been identified as 34-year-old Joseph Desjarlais of Fishing Lake First Nation, who was facing 20 charges in relation to a string of robberies across east central Saskatchewan.

A large force of RCMP were present on the First Nation on Tuesday in an effort to find and arrest Desjarlais on his outstanding warrants. His family has been notified of his death.

SIRT’s investigation will examine the conduct of police during this incident, including the circumstances surrounding the man’s death.