Death of suspected robber on Tuesday followed RCMP shooting: Watchdog

A man suspected in a string of robberies was shot at by RCMP officers on Tuesday, a police watchdog has confirmed.

According to Saskatchewan’s Serious Incident Response Team, a civilian-led police oversight group, 34-year-old Joseph “Joey” Desjarlais, who was wanted in connection with armed robberies in Yorkton, Foam Lake, Melfort and Wadena, was shot at by police while allegedly driving a stolen van on the Fishing Lake First Nation, east of Saskatoon.

The RCMP issued a statement on Tuesday describing Desjarlais’ death, saying “firearms were discharged” and “additional shots were (later) discharged,” without specifying who was firing the shots. An RCMP spokesperson would not say if the shots were fired by Mounties when contacted by 650 CKOM on Tuesday, citing an external investigation by the watchdog group.

According to a statement issued on Friday by the Serious Incident Response Team, the shots were fired by RCMP officers while Desjarlais was allegedly attempting to flee from Mounties in a stolen van belonging to a local school.

“The pursuit of the van continued through the Fishing Lake First Nation and surrounding area before the van returned to a residence on the First Nation,” the Serious Incident Response Team explained in a statement.

During the chase, police got a call reporting the van stolen, the oversight agency noted, and the caller believed Desjarlais was armed.

“The van slowed and RCMP vehicles attempted to intercept. During this encounter two RCMP members discharged their service firearms, striking the van. The van continued around the residence and drove through a wooded area and along a narrow path toward another residential area of the First Nation, where an RCMP vehicle made contact with the van, which came to a stop. The man was observed to be inside the van and unresponsive.”

Desjarlais was pronounced dead by paramedics, the watchdog agency said, and a loaded shotgun and spent shell casing were found inside the van.

“SIRT’s investigation will examine the conduct of police during this incident, including the circumstances surrounding the man’s death,” the oversight agency noted.

“The RCMP will maintain conduct of the investigation into the man and his actions prior to and during the incident. No further information will be released at this time. A final report will be issued to the public within 90 days of the investigation ending.”

Editor’s Note: This story has been updated for clarity. While Desjarlais was shot at by RCMP, the shots did not necessarily cause his death.