Saskatchewan RCMP continue to investigate Weyburn highway shooting

Sask. RCMP continue to investigate after a woman was shot while riding in a vehicle near Weyburn on Friday. Sierra D'Souza Butts reports.

The Saskatchewan RCMP is continuing its investigation into the death of a woman, who was struck by a bullet while riding in a vehicle on Highway 39 near Weyburn late last week.

In an update at 11:30 a.m. Monday, the police service said it has identified the owner of a vehicle and trailer that was travelling through the area at the time of the shooting.

RCMP say the owner is not connected to the ongoing suspicious death investigation.

• Sask. RCMP now searching for vehicle and trailer in connection to Weyburn highway shooting

Mayor Jeff Richards said residents are still in disbelief, stating the city is a tight-knit community.

“Everybody wants to have answers to what happened and we don’t know them, and that is unsettling,” Richards told reporters Monday afternoon. “I think people are sad, I think people are angry, quite frankly, at what happened and not understanding can make it infinitely more difficult because there’s so many unknowns.”

He added the city is aiming to provide support to many families and friends impacted, as many people are aware of the recent occurrence.

“This is a small city and a lot of us know the individuals that were involved in the incident. We know their families and our thoughts and prayers are with them,” Richards expressed.

“Our thoughts are also with the local Weyburn responders who were first on scene, local EMS, the Weyburn police service. This is a very traumatic thing to come across on a Friday evening.”

Insp. Ashley St. Germaine of the Saskatchewan RCMP’s major crimes unit, said the service has received many tips from the public – which have pushed the investigation forward.

She again appealed to anyone who may have been in the area of Highway 39, northwest of Weyburn, on Friday, Sept. 12.

• Download the CTV News app to get breaking news alerts sent to your device

“Maybe you were hunting or target shooting, or perhaps you were with or know someone who was. Perhaps you recall a passing a vehicle on that road around 8:00 p.m. Maybe you have vehicle dash cam footage from traveling Highway #39 that night,” she said in the update.

“Please give our investigators a call to assist us in getting answers for the victim’s family and community.

The service went on to say that officers will be in the area again today.

Those with doorbell, house cameras and other video surveillance along Highway 39 into Weyburn and Highway 13 are asked to check their footage between 7:45 and 8:30 p.m. on Sept. 12.

“If you note any suspicious people or vehicles or anything out of the ordinary, please call and report it,” the update read.

• RCMP investigating after woman killed in ‘suspicious’ shooting on Sask. highway

The city stated they have no comments about the public’s safety as the occurrence is being investigated by police. However, with RCMP receiving high engagement from the community Richards said he is hopeful.

“We are putting our faith in our community to stand together, support one another, and trust in the RCMP that they will move this investigation along,” he said.

Police were initially called to the scene of a serious injury around three kilometres northwest of Weyburn on Highway 39 at around 8 p.m. on Sept. 12.

Once on the scene, investigators determined that a black Ford Explorer was travelling towards Weyburn when the passenger of the vehicle, a 44-year-old woman from Weyburn, was hit by a bullet.

She was later declared dead at the scene. The driver of the SUV, who was the only other person in the vehicle, was uninjured.