On Saturday, June 12, tragedy hit the province after a member of the RCMP lost his life. Constable Shelby Patton, a 26-year-old member of the Indian Head RCMP Detachment was on-duty and following two suspects who were driving an allegedly stolen truck from Manitoba.
Constable Patton initiated a traffic stop with the truck in the town of Wolseley and during the course of the stop, while outside of his police vehicle, Patton was struck and killed by the truck and died on scene at approximately 8:00am.
The truck proceeded to leave the scene and was later located in a rural area northeast of Francis, SK. An adult male and adult female; Alphonse Stanley Traverse, 41, and Marlene Velma Louise Pagee, 42, were located and arrested with the assistance of the RCMP Police Dog Services. The suspects are charged with manslaughter for allegedly striking and killing the young Constable, as well as failure to stop at the scene of an accident causing death, possession of stolen property, theft of a motor vehicle and breaches.
Constable Patton had worked with the Indian Head Detachment since 2015, which consisted of his entire 6 years and four months of service within the RCMP.
“This morning I, along with the Indian Head Detachment Commander and Saskatchewan RCMP Chaplain, had to tell Constable Patton’s wife the difficult news that he is not coming home…. I am heartbroken for her and her family. No one should have to wake up and learn their family member died as a result of doing their job and this is what happened today to Constable Patton’s loved ones,” Saskatchewan RCMP Commanding Officer, Assistant Commissioner Rhonda Blackmore, stated in a release.
Blackmore also expressed appreciation to a member of the public for providing medical assistance to Patton until emergency responders could arrive, as well as to farmers within the area who provided assistance to the responding officers who arrested the suspects.
On Tuesday, June 15, Constable Patton’s body was brought to a funeral home within Wolseley and the RCMP, along with the town of Wolseley requested that people come show their support by wearing red and lining the streets as the procession traveled through the community.
