Community members rattled after Moose Jaw shooting

People were still shaken Saturday in the wake of a shooting that took place in their Moose Jaw neighbourhood on Friday night.

According to police in Moose Jaw, they found out there were guns in a home on Fourth Avenue Northwest near Caribou Street West on Friday at 7:40 p.m. Officers got a search warrant and went to the area.

Tactical members from Moose Jaw and Regina police responded, but before they arrived, someone left the home, fired a handgun at police and ran off. No one was hurt.

Dan Cameron lives in the 800 block of Fourth Avenue Northwest where shots were first fired.

“I was sitting watching TV and all of a sudden I heard the gunshot,” Cameron said late Saturday morning. “My wife came out of the bedroom and she thought something hit the house.”

Cameron said he told his family members to stay in the house until they received information about what was going on.

The first emergency alert wasn’t issued until after 10 p.m., more than two hours after shots were first fired.

Supt. Taylor Mickleborough of the Moose Jaw Police Service said police had problems collecting details for the initial alert.

“We had issues gathering proper information with us to get out to the community, and making sure we got it out using the system,” said Mickleborough.

He said police know they need to get that kind of information out faster.

“We are aware that we need to better in that regard,” said Mickleborough. “It’s something that we have already had discussions about.”

On the street

Up Fourth Avenue from Cameron’s home, Trent Hagerman said he did not hear any shots, but saw flashing lights at 8 p.m.

“It was a super-quiet night actually and I was just laying watching TV in the house and then I saw the red and white lights,” he said.

Hagerman said it’s not the first time he has seen police in the neighbourhood, but perked up when he saw the Regina SWAT team vehicle pull up around the corner.

Hagerman said he didn’t know what was going on until Moose Jaw police issued the emergency alert.

The gun, magazines and ammunition seized from a suspect after an alleged shooting in Moose Jaw on Oct. 21, 2022. (Gillian Massie/980 CJME)

According to police, shots also were reported around 10 p.m., on Ross Street West, where police found the suspect in a backyard.

Forty-five minutes after crisis negotiators spoke with the man, he was arrested and taken into custody.

Police say Jirard Saddleback of Calgary is facing charges of attempted murder, possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking, possession of a prohibited firearm, possession of the proceeds of crime, and other drug and gun charges. More charges could be added at a later time.

Saddleback is also wanted on a Canada-wide warrant for being unlawfully at large out of Calgary.

Debbie Grasdal lives across the street from where the suspect was caught. She heard the second round of shots go off at 10 p.m.

“I heard the gunshots and it sounded like they were right out front, so I presume they were over on Fourth,” said Grasdal. “Then I heard a lot of noise so I thought I would let it settle down first.”

Grasdal said her first reaction was to shut off her lights and lock her doors. Every so often, Grasdal looked out her window.

“I looked out the window and I didn’t see anything and then I heard the racket; they had the police vehicle around here,” said Grasdal.

Grasdal said she felt relieved after the suspect was taken into custody.

The police response

Mickleborough said Moose Jaw police have seen an increase in weapons in the city, which the force is doing its best to manage.

“This is a very major situation for any city in Saskatchewan,” he said. “I wouldn’t say often, but we do our best to prepare for these situations and keep the community safe.”

Mickleborough said the Moose Jaw police have strong connections with police in Regina and appreciated their help with getting tactical units and canine units to search the area.

“When we realized the situation was evolving the way that it was, we called them and they are there always ready to support us,” Mickleborough said.

Hagerman is grateful police officials acted quickly.

“I just thought it was super-cool to see the fast action and the fact that nobody got hurt,” said Hagerman. “When you look at it that way, you do have to give kudos to the police services.”