‘My dad was my best friend ever’: Daughter shares story of father’s murder

By Nigel Maxwell

Skye Pruden says her father died a hero.

Late Saturday night, the 27-year-old and her father, Barry Pruden, had been out riding their bikes, and around 11 p.m, stopped near Georgie’s Liquor Store as Barry wanted to go inside and get a pipe.

Meanwhile, Skye waited across the street in the park area with the bikes. When Barry returned, the two began to carry on their way but were soon after cut off.

“There was this one guy, he came running towards my dad to stop his bike and he goes, ‘What’s your name?’ ” Skye recalled.

When the stranger made a move towards Skye, Barry hopped off his bike, pulled a gardening tool out of his bag and began to swing it around to defend her.

“I started screaming and no one would help me,” Skye said.

A section of River Street in Prince Albert was blocked off after a 47-year-old man was found fatally injured. (Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)

At this point as many as six other individuals from the park came over and circled Skye’s dad. Provided with the opportunity to run, Skye first ran back to Georgie’s but was told to leave. She then went to a nearby residence where a friend lived but they weren’t home.

Hearing Skye’s calls for help, a stranger emerged and offered to help and together with the two bikes began to travel back to the park.

“I heard a scream,” Skye said in reference to her dad. “He yelled my name really loud.”

Upon getting back to the park, police were there and the stranger drove off with Barry’s bike. Skye said once the officer moved out of the way, she could see her father lying on the ground, wearing only a T-shirt, pants, and shoes. Someone had taken his jacket, bunnyhug, and hat.

“They took everything,” she said.

Barry Pruden was pronounced dead in hospital. An autopsy is set for Tuesday. In the meantime, Skye is acknowledging the fact her father’s birthday was coming up on June 5.

“My dad was my best friend ever. At least we know he died as a hero,” Skye said.

On Sunday, a GoFundMe was created to assist with funeral expenses.

Response from police

During a Monday afternoon press conference, Prince Albert Police Chief Jon Bergen revealed the two murders this weekend bring the city’s total this year to six.

“To deal with two incidents of homicide on the same day, where they are different events, that is extremely draining,” he said.

The other homicide happened Saturday morning in the city’s East Flat area, just east of the Exhibition grounds. According to multiple social media posts, one man, who was a husband and father, was shot multiple times while standing out in the street.

There have been no arrests in either case. Both investigations are still very much in their preliminary stages, and Bergen did not discuss the details. He indicated instead that the police service will work closely with its community partners to address violence in the city.

“If you know something or see something, please report it,” he said.

Prince Albert Police Chief Jon Bergen (paNOW Staff)

Over the course of the weekend, officers responded to a total of 439 calls for service, with 184 on Saturday alone.

“That puts a demand on the entire organization where we are in a reactive mode basically all weekend long,” Bergen said.

Confirming the police service currently has eight vacancies, Bergen noted the police service did have five members graduate Friday from police college, who will join frontline operations in the coming weeks. This includes two members who were part of the Metis mentorship program.

Bergen also acknowledged all the extra work and extra hours all members put in over the weekend, including the forensic identification unit, criminal investigation and crime reduction teams, and the frontline patrol officers.

“We continue to thank our members for their attention to duty when they should be recharging with their families,” Bergen said.

Response from MN-S

Sherry McLennan, elected representative for Metis Nation-Saskatchewan Western Region 2, was also present for Monday’s press conference and confirmed both homicide victims were Metis.

“I know both families personally and both families have young children,” she said, “young children that are now going to be without fathers.”

Stating how crime in the city is out of control, and also acknowledging gaps with respects to services for mental health and homelessness, McLennan called on all elected leaders to get together and discuss solutions .

“It’s not only the young children, it’s our elders who are scared. Everybody is scared and we should not be scared in our own hometown where we grew up,” she said.

A candlelight vigil for both homicide victims was planned for Monday night at 8 p.m. near the MMIW monument.