Mistissini lockdown lifted after fatal shooting leaves two dead, in northern Quebec

The Cree community of Mistissini in northern Quebec has been lifted from lockdown, after a shooting that left two men in their 30s dead Wednesday evening.

Sgt. Hugues Beaulieu, with the Sûreté du Québec (SQ), says the deaths appear to be linked to organized crime and there is no active shooter in the community.

“It seems to be an isolated event, possibly within the context of organized crime, a kind of settling of scores in the drug trafficking world,” Beaulieu said. 

The Eeyou Eenou Police Force investigated the shooting on Riverside Street. The victims, both local residents, were transported to a local medical facility where they were pronounced dead.

Mistissini is a community located along the shore of Lake Mistassini, 600 kilometres northwest of Quebec City.

Chief Michael Petawabano of the Cree Nation of Mistissini announced the lockdown early Thursday morning, urging residents to remain indoors and cooperate with police as an active investigation continued. Later Thursday morning he confirmed that the lockdown has been lifted and it is now safe for community members to resume normal activities.

“We want to thank our community members for their patience, cooperation, and resilience during this difficult time,” Petawabano said. “The lockdown has been lifted, and we can begin to return to our daily routines. However, our hearts remain with the families, and we continue to stand together as a community in support of those affected by this tragedy.”

Under the lockdown, residents had been instructed to stay inside their homes until further notice. All schools, offices and community buildings were closed, and travel into and out of the community was strictly restricted.

Now, community buildings, offices and facilities are open, travel restrictions have been lifted, and regular community activities may resume. Residents are advised to check with schools and childcare facilities to confirm reopening schedules. Emergency services continue to operate normally.

Petawabano expressed condolences to those affected by the violence.

“Our hearts are heavy with grief for the lives lost and the families impacted by this tragedy,” he said, adding that crisis support services are available for anyone who needs assistance during this time of healing. He also encouraged residents to follow official communication channels, report any relevant information to police, and avoid sharing unconfirmed information.

Charlene Awashish, a lifelong resident of Mistissini, said she barely slept as she kept watch for updates on the investigation.

Awashish and her husband were driving home from the gas station Wednesday night when a friend called to check in on them, alerting them that there had been a shooting in the community and the suspect was still on the loose.

“I kind of immediately started to panic and then I called my son,” telling him to go upstairs, close all the curtains, turn off all the lights and lock the door, she said.

The couple stayed up until about 2 a.m. and then her husband, an essential worker, got up for work at 6 a.m., she said, adding his departure left her feeling “kind of scared.”

Since then, Awashish said she has been video calling loved ones and praying.

Mistissini is a community where everyone knows each other, she said.

“It’s really sad to know that there’s a lot of families being affected by this,” she said.

Mistissini, home to about 4,000 people, is located just under 800 kilometers north of Montreal. Police have not said when the confinement will be lifted, noting it will remain in effect until authorities determine it is safe to resume normal activities.

-With files from The Canadian Press