A man is in custody facing a murder charge in what is described by RCMP as a complex investigation.
Gerald Stanley, 54, of the Biggar district, is charged with second degree murder following an incident Aug. 10 in the RM of Glenside, located in the Biggar detachment area. The incident has been under investigation by the Biggar detachment as well as RCMP Major Crime Unit North. The deceased is identified as 22-year-old Colten Boushie of Red Pheasant First Nation.
The incident took place at around 5:30 p.m. According to police, the initial investigation revealed that five individuals had entered onto private property by vehicle in the rural area. Police say these individuals were then confronted by property owners who were outside and saw them arrive. The vehicle’s occupants were not known to the property owners.
A verbal exchange then occurred to try and get the vehicle to leave the yard.
A firearm was discharged, according to police, striking one of the occupants inside the vehicle.
According to the RCMP, emergency services were then contacted and came to the scene. When they arrived they found one adult male in the vehicle who suffered an apparent gunshot wound.
He was declared deceased at the scene.
Stanley was arrested at the scene without incident and taken into custody.
Three occupants from the vehicle, including two females (one being a youth) and one adult male were taken into custody Wednesday as part of a related theft investigation. All three have since been released. Currently, zero other persons are in police custody; however, charges are still being considered with respect to some property related offences pending further investigation, say RCMP.
The incident and what led up to it remain under investigation.
On Thursday, RCMP issued a news release confirming Stanley had been charged in relation to the shooting at the farm site.
Stanley appeared in North Battleford provincial court on the charge Thursday morning.
Counsel for the Crown and defence were also in attendance before Judge Bruce Bauer.
Stanley was remanded in custody to Aug. 18, 9:30 a.m. There was also a no-contact order put in place respecting four other individuals in the case.
The RM of Glenside shares a boundary with the RM of Battle River and lies about midway between Battleford and Biggar.
