Police are urging individuals to steer clear of the Ginoogaming First Nation area and advising community members to stay indoors as they hunt for two armed and dangerous suspects on the loose. The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and Anishinabek Police Service (APS) are currently on the scene following an OPP media release issued around 6 a.m. ET on Wednesday.
The suspects are both described as Black males, with one being taller than the other. The taller individual is wearing an all-grey jogging suit with braided hair, while the shorter suspect is dressed in black pants and black shoes. Residents in Ginoogaming are being instructed to take refuge inside a secure building, lock all doors and windows, and draw the curtains.
In the event of sighting the suspects, the public is urged to immediately call 911 without approaching them. Bill Dickson, the media relations coordinator for the OPP, stated that a substantial number of officers from both OPP and APS are actively searching for the suspects, emphasizing the need for all individuals in the area to remain indoors.
The search operation commenced following reports of gunshots in the vicinity just after 2 a.m. Wednesday. Dickson emphasized that until the suspects are apprehended, no further details about them or their motives can be provided. Greenstone’s deputy mayor and Nakina Ward councillor, Matthew Donovan, acknowledged the anxiety in the community and commended the public for their cooperation.
Some municipal services in Greenstone were closed on Wednesday as a precautionary measure. These closures include the Friends of the North Daycare, the Seniors Centre, and the Municipal Ward Office in Longlac. Additionally, all public and Catholic elementary schools in Longlac and Long Lake #58 First Nation were shut for the day. Confederation College’s Longlac campus was also closed, as updated by the OPP on Wednesday morning.
Ginoogaming First Nation is situated just south of Longlac, approximately 300 km northeast of Thunder Bay. Individuals with any information regarding the suspects are urged to contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122.
