National Chief Shawn Atleo said the death of a five-year-old boy who was shot in the head as he slept is a "horrible, terrible setback" for a violence-plagued Alberta reservation.
Police identified the boy on Tuesday as Ethan Yellowbird. After the fatal shooting at the Samson Cree First Nation in the early hours of Monday, the child had only been identified as the grandson of reserve Chief Marvin Yellowbird.
Alberta RCMP released the information after an autopsy on the child was completed earlier Tuesday. Sgt. Patrick Webb also said in a statement that police have completed their investigation of the scene, but continue to gather evidence and pursue leads.
The child was struck by a bullet that was fired from outside the home. A woman was also injured in the incident, but police have not confirmed whether she was the boy's mother.
On Tuesday, the head of the Assembly of First Nations called the incident a "horrible, terrible setback" for a community that has been trying to curb gang violence.
Speaking at the opening of the assembly's national meeting in Moncton, N.B., on Tuesday, Atleo expressed his condolences to the child's family.
"We have reached out to the family and the leadership ... they really feel that this is the most horrific, terrible setback," Atleo told delegates.
"This kind of tragic news brings heightened focus to the work that we've gathered here to do over the next three days," he said. "We have to demonstrate the leadership and show the courage that is needed to say, 'No more."'
Delegates to this week's meeting will be able to sign a book of condolence.
At a news conference on Monday, Supt. Curtis Zablocki told reporters that investigators "have not ruled out possible gang activity." According to Zablocki, six gangs operate in and around Hobbema, which is about 100 kilometres south of Edmonton.
The Samson Cree First Nation has been plagued by gang violence over the past several years, with rival organizations competing for control of the drug trade. Monday's shooting was the latest in a string of similar incidents on the reservation.
In April 2008, Asia Saddleback was injured in a drive-by shooting while she was sitting at the kitchen table of her family's home. The toddler, who was not yet two years old at the time, recovered from the incident, but doctors could not remove the bullet that pierced her abdomen and is now lodged near her spine.
Despite a number of community and police initiatives aimed at curbing violence, shootings have still plagued the reservation. However, Zablocki said there have been fewer violent incidents since the Saddleback shooting.
Both Zablocki and Yellowbird appealed for community members to step forward if they have any information about Monday's shooting.
On Tuesday, Atleo said it was up to all members of First Nations communities to build healthier, stronger and safer places to live.
"Let's do our work to honour that young boy from Samson Cree and indeed, every child," he said.
Atleo said, however, that community leaders are hampered somewhat by outdated government policies, including the Indian Act, which they say prevent them from establishing new and effective social and economic policies.
On Tuesday, the assembly released a discussion paper that calls for the Department of Aboriginal Affairs to be abolished, and advocates for the creation of a new agency based on input by both government and First Nations.
"There's strong consensus that the bureaucracy has been an utter, utter failure for First Nations," Atleo said.
With files from The Canadian Press
