HOLLOW WATER FIRST NATION, Manitoba — A small First Nation community northeast of Winnipeg is grappling with shock and grief after a violent stabbing incident Thursday morning left at least one person dead and several others injured. RCMP confirm that at least six victims were transported to hospitals in Winnipeg for urgent care.
In an updated statement, police confirmed, “One victim is deceased. The suspect is also deceased.” Authorities have not yet released further details about the condition of the injured, citing an ongoing investigation.
RCMP officers responded quickly to urgent calls from Hollow Water First Nation, an Anishinaabe community of roughly 530 people along the east shore of Lake Winnipeg. The situation has been described as a “mass casualty event,” with officers working both within the community and along nearby Highway 304, south of Black River First Nation, to secure the area and assist victims.
Despite the severity of the incident, officials say there is no longer a risk to public safety. Emergency teams in Winnipeg initially declared a code orange—indicating a sudden influx of patients—at the city’s largest hospital, though it was lifted a few hours later as patients were stabilized and treated.
The RCMP has pledged a detailed news conference later Thursday at their Winnipeg headquarters to provide more information about the incident, including the circumstances leading up to the attack.
“Our sincere condolences go out to everyone within the community of Hollow Water First Nation and to all those affected by this senseless act of violence,” the RCMP said in a statement.
The attack comes exactly three years after a mass stabbing at the James Smith Cree Nation in Saskatchewan, which claimed 11 lives and left 17 people injured. The Hollow Water incident has once again brought focus to the vulnerability of remote communities to sudden acts of violence, leaving residents and authorities seeking answers.
Authorities urge anyone with information to contact the RCMP as the investigation continues. Residents in nearby areas are being asked to remain vigilant while police work to piece together the events of Thursday morning.
This story is developing, and updates will be shared as more information becomes available.
-With files by The Canadian Press
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