Local News
'This is our community as well': Weyburn RCMP commander speaks to human toll of shooting investigation
Three weeks after a fatal shooting on Highway 39 shattered the community's sense of security, the commander of the Weyburn RCMP detachment is speaking out about the profound human toll the investigation takes on the officers who are also members of the community. In a candid interview, Sergeant Warner Ignatiuk, the Weyburn Detachment Commander, explained that while first responders are frequently exposed to trauma like serious collisions and acts of violence, the shooting death of 44-year-old Tanya Myers was a deeply impactful event. "The shooting incident has impacted all the involved police officers, whether those ones were the first ones to respond to the scene, (or) having had to share that tragic news with loved ones," Ignatiuk said. "Many of the police officers involved are either members of the community of Weyburn or members of communities that are adjacent to Weyburn. This is, you know, theirs and our community as well. So, an incident like this impacts us on our own general sense of safety and security in the same way that it does our fellow community members." The investigation began on the evening of Friday, September 12, when Myers was fatally shot while a passenger in an SUV driving towards Weyburn. Her family later described her as an amazing energy healer and animal lover and pleaded for the person responsible to grow a conscience and take responsibility for their actions. The case grew more complex when investigators confirmed a bullet also struck a second vehicle travelling nearby. Ignatiuk explained that in the initial moments of a high-risk call, the focus is on an information-gathering exercise to determine the level of response that will be required. He said that while every officer has an innate desire to assist, they must also act as a professional line between the public and the traumatic event. "We have to not entirely ignore the fact that we're members of the community, but to remain not entirely detached, but remain very much in control of our emotions so that we can be the best receivers of the information," he explained. At one point during the interview, while searching for the words to describe the feeling of being unable to prevent a tragedy, Ignatiuk paused. "I know what it is that I want to say, but I don't know how to properly put it into words," he admitted, before explaining that such moments strengthen an officer's resolve. "When we're put in a situation that we weren't able to proactively prevent, it really very much motivates an already ambitious group of police officers to best pick up pieces, do follow-ups, and do the very best that they can to respond accordingly and bring levels of satisfaction to the communities that we're serving," Ignatiuk said. While the Saskatchewan RCMP has what he described as a proactive wellness program, Ignatiuk said the most critical support comes from within the detachment. "The key support is going to be the knowing and the reassurance that the people that you work with have gone through other incidents and have some level of relation to what it is that one member or another has encountered," he said. He also made a point to thank the detachment’s partners, from internal RCMP units like Major Crimes and Forensic Identification Services to local first responders. "Our friends at the Weyburn Police Service were incredibly helpful the day of this incident, as they are in all incidents," he stated. The investigation into Tanya Myers' death continues. No suspect has been identified, and police are still appealing to the public for information. Anyone with information is asked to call 310-RCMP or Crime Stoppers.