‘Life’s kind of slowed down’: La Loche marks 10 years since deadly shooting with day of remembrance

Thursday marks ten years since the deadly school shooting in the northern Saskatchewan community of La Loche. Carla Shynkaruk reports.

Ten years after a deadly school shooting forever changed the northern Saskatchewan community of La Loche, residents gathered Thursday to remember the lives lost and reflect on a decade of healing.

A day of remembrance was held at the Roman Catholic Church in La Loche, hosted by Dene High School and the local school division.

Community members came together to honour the victims, support one another and acknowledge the lasting impact of the tragedy.

The pain of the 2016 shooting still lingers, especially for families who continue to live with loss.

“I can still recall that day very vividly. I think about it quite often, just where I was when I got the phone call,” Jeffery Klyne, whose mom was shot that day, told CTV News.

Klyne’s mother was among those injured in the shooting and lived with the effects of her injuries. His father was the vice-principal at La Loche Community School at the time. Both parents passed away about three years ago.

“The last couple of years since Mom and Dad have been gone, it’s for sure been tougher. Now that life’s kind of slowed down, you start to think about it more and more,” Klyne said.

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The shooting claimed the lives of four people, two at the school and two in a nearby home. The tragic events sent shockwaves across the province, sparking broader conversations around mental health, trauma, and healing in northern communities.

Kevin Janvier, who was interim mayor of La Loche at the time of the shooting, says he is amazed by the resilience the community has shown over the past decade.

“If you would have asked me nine years ago, I probably would have told you it would take decades and decades before people moved on, but seeing residents and kids going to school every day, that uplifts people, even through the loss.” Janvier said.

Premier Scott Moe also reflected on the somber anniversary, offering his condolences to the community.

“This is a time to reflect on what was a tragic loss of four individuals - not just for La Loche, but for our province and for Canadians,” Moe said.

Today, Klyne is a teacher himself. He hopes the legacy of the tragedy includes stronger supports for victims, families, and communities affected by trauma, including compassion and awareness training so other families don’t have to experience the aftermath that his did.

As La Loche remembers, there is also a renewed commitment to ensure the victims are never forgotten and that the community continues moving forward together.