An 18-year-old woman tragically lost her life in an incident involving multiple stabbings at Hollow Water First Nation, with the suspect identified as her brother, as per the RCMP. Seven other community members, ranging from 18 to 60 years old, sustained injuries during the early morning assaults, revealed Supt. Rob Lasson, head of Manitoba RCMP major crime services, in a press briefing on Thursday. The suspect, Tyrone Simard, 26, from Hollow Water, was later killed in a collision with an RCMP vehicle as he attempted to flee the community in a stolen car on Provincial Road 304 near Black River First Nation, approximately 40 kilometers south of Hollow Water.
The RCMP officer in the vehicle, who was responding to the attacks, also suffered serious injuries but is anticipated to recover fully, stated Lasson, commending her courageous response in pursuing the suspect. Lasson emphasized that had the threat not been contained at that moment, the RCMP would have faced a challenging day.
The sequence of events began unfolding around 4 a.m. when a First Nation safety officer alerted the RCMP about an attack in the community, prompting a swift response. Subsequently, reports of a second potential stabbing led officers to discover multiple victims with stab wounds in different locations, as detailed by Lasson.
While Simard was known to authorities, Lasson refrained from disclosing further details. It was clarified that the suspect and victims were acquainted, though the exact relationships were not specified. The ongoing focus of the RCMP investigation is to gather information from witnesses and ascertain if there are additional victims.
Lasson clarified that there is no indication linking this incident to the 2022 stabbing rampage in Saskatchewan. The timing of the event coinciding with the third anniversary of the prior attacks was deemed coincidental.
Hollow Water Chief Larry Barker, visibly affected by the tragedy, urged the community to unite and offer support to one another during these trying times. Additionally, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew praised the injured Mountie as a hero for halting the assailant’s rampage.
At the Health Sciences Centre, six victims were transported by ambulance, while two were airlifted by STARS air ambulance for medical treatment. One victim underwent surgery, and another was in the operating room during the press conference. Hospital authorities initiated a code orange alert to prepare for a potential surge in patient admissions, ensuring a smooth pathway for treating the victims.
Authorities confirmed that public safety was not at risk following the incident, with Provincial Road 304 being temporarily closed in connection with the events but later reopening. Hollow Water First Nation, also known as Waanibiigaaw or Wanipigow in Ojibwe, is an Anishinaabe community situated on the eastern shore of Lake Winnipeg, housing over 1,100 registered community members as of August.