A devastating tragedy unfolded in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, where five individuals lost their lives, including three children, in a domestic violence-related shooting. The shooter, a 44-year-old individual, also perished in the incident, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. One other person sustained gunshot wounds and is hospitalized. The harrowing series of events occurred on Monday night, prompting a profound sense of sorrow and shock within the community.
The calamity began with a distressing 911 call at approximately 10:20 p.m., reporting a break-in at a residence in the 200 block of Tancred Street. Responding to the call, officers discovered a 41-year-old individual deceased, having suffered a gunshot wound. The assailant had already fled the scene by the time the police arrived.
Around ten minutes later, another alarming 911 call came in, this time reporting an armed individual at a residence in the 200 block of Second Line East, situated roughly three kilometers away. When the police reached this location, they found a 45-year-old individual with gunshot wounds and immediately transported them to a hospital. The current condition of the injured person remains undisclosed.
Inside the second residence, a heartbreaking and gut-wrenching scene unfolded, with three children aged six, seven, and twelve, tragically losing their lives due to gunshot wounds. The 44-year-old shooter, who had committed the act, was also found deceased, suspected to have died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The authorities have determined that the two incidents are interrelated, stemming from an incident of intimate partner violence. Due to the sensitive nature of these circumstances, the names of both the accused and the victims have been withheld. The police have underscored that these acts were not random instances of violence, and there is no ongoing risk to public safety.
Sault Ste. Marie Police Chief Hugh Stevenson expressed profound grief and lamented the tragic loss of life within the community. He urged residents to look out for one another and utilize available mental health support services during this difficult time.
Sault Ste. Marie Mayor Matthew Shoemaker also conveyed his condolences and support for the victims’ families and friends, emphasizing the unity and strength of the community in the face of such an unimaginable act of violence. The mayor called on residents to offer support to one another during this profoundly challenging period.
There are no words to adequately address such a tremendous loss as our community has experienced. This is an unspeakable tragedy and on behalf of @CitySSM, I extend our collective condolences and support to the family and loved ones of the victims. https://t.co/Og3D7KVeTW pic.twitter.com/XYaOBcovU6
— Matthew Shoemaker (@SooShoe) October 24, 2023
Ontario Premier Doug Ford shared his heartfelt condolences and offered prayers to those impacted by the distressing news. In a message posted on X, Premier Ford expressed his deep sorrow regarding the heartbreaking events in Sault Ste. Marie.
“The news out of Sault Ste. Marie is gut-wrenching,” Ford stated. “This senseless loss of life has left family, friends, and an entire community grieving. You are in my prayers. All of Ontario mourns this tragedy.”
The news out of Sault Ste. Marie is gut wrenching. This senseless loss of life has left family, friends and an entire community grieving.
You are in my prayers. All of Ontario mourns this tragedy. https://t.co/4XiWgYZ1X7
— Doug Ford (@fordnation) October 24, 2023
The inquiry persists, with law enforcement personnel maintaining a presence at both locations.