A man from Flin Flon, Man., has been charged with second-degree murder following a shooting on New Year’s Day in the area.
Eighteen-year-old Xander Tardiff was arrested on Jan. 1 after a large-scale search was launched by RCMP members from the Flin Flon and Creighton, Sask. area.
Police first learned of the situation just after midnight last Saturday when a 911 caller said someone had been shot outside of a community hall on Main Street in Creighton.
RCMP officers located the victim of the shooting — a 24-year-old man from Cranberry Portage, Man. He was found in stable condition and transported for medical treatment to Flin Flon, according to a statement from police on Monday.
As police patrolled the area for the suspect, another report came in just after 1 a.m. about a shooting at a home on Bellevue Avenue in Flin Flon.
RCMP say officers arrived to a 47-year-old man from The Pas, Man., and 26-year-old woman from Flin Flon who were shot.
According to police, the woman was pronounced dead on scene. The man suffered multiple gun shot wounds and was taken to hospital in stable condition.
After confirming both incidents were targeted and linked to one suspect, police were able to identify Tarfiff as the suspect and began their search to locate him.
“The Manitoba RCMP deployed a number of additional units and officers to the area to search for the suspect and to further the investigation. This included officers from its Emergency Response Team, Police Dog Services, Major Crime Services, Forensic Identification Services, Air Services and a number of officers from neighbouring detachments,” shared RCMP in Monday’s statement.
“The Saskatchewan RCMP also deployed additional officers from nearby detachments and its Critical Incident Response Team to the scene.”
It wasn’t until about 11:30 p.m. on Jan. 1 that Tardiff was found in the Aspen Grove area of Flin Flon. RCMP say he was taken into custody without incident.
Along with his second-degree murder charge, Tardiff also faces charges of discharge firearm with intent, reckless discharge of a firearm, possession of a firearm while prohibited, discharge a firearm with intent and possession of a firearm while prohibited.
RCMP say he was remanded into custody with a court appearance scheduled for Tuesday in The Pas provincial court for charges related to the shooting in Flin Flon.
He will be in La Ronge to face his charges related to the shooting in Creighton.