Neighbours identify men in Meadow Lake murder-suicide

Neighbours have confirmed the identities of the two men who were found dead inside a Meadow Lake home Thursday morning in a shooting murder-suicide.

Locals said Robert Bell, 70, and Sonny Morin, 73, were the two men found dead in the home in the area of 5th Street West and 6th Avenue West.

RCMP did not confirm the identities of the men, but said they were both from Meadow Lake.

Police were first called around 10 a.m. about gunshots reported in the area. When officers arrived in the area of 5th Street West and 6th Avenue West, they discovered the men’s bodies.

RCMP said an “autopsy has been ordered on the 70-year-old male victim” for Monday.

A community left in shock

Meadow Lake Mayor Gary Vidal first learned of the shots fired in his community through a text he received from his children. They were in the school put under a hold and secure as RCMP investigated gunshots reported in the area.

Vidal says he’s shocked that something like this has happened.

“It impacts everybody in the community in a significant way because you just don’t expect things like that to happen in your neighbourhood. When all of a sudden they do, it is shocking.”

Vidal says it’s comforting that RCMP has ensured him there’s no risk to public safety.

Remembering a “wonderful man”

Along with being a father and grandfather, Bell was a board member for the Meadow Lake Native Urban Housing Corporation.

Bernice Daigneault Hammersmith was on the board with Bell – a man she called wonderful.

“He was always an open ear; wanted to hear what’s the matter … and he would go to help it, go to help them.”

While Daigneault Hammersmith didn’t know Bell well, she knows that he was passionate about Métis and housing issues, and always willing to help. She’s left shocked by what happened.

“I don’t know this other man that he had an argument with. Apparently that’s his neighbour. I can’t image what kind of situation would cause that … because of his gentleness.”