Drugs and gangs ‘killing our youth’: principal says after violent death – CP

Source: The Canadian Press
Apr 26, 2017 

SAGKEENG FIRST NATION, Man. _ A First Nations community northeast of Winnipeg is reeling following the killing of a high-school student and the arrest of two younger teens.

RCMP have not identified the 19-year-old found dead near a home on the Sagkeeng First Nation Sunday night, and say two girls aged 16 and 17 were arrested on charges of second-degree murder.

Community members say the victim is Serena McKay, and the accused are students at the community’s high school.

Principal Claude Guimond says students and staff have been hit hard by the tragedy, and by a video he says is McKay being beaten that has been shared on social media.

RCMP say they are aware of the video and are reviewing it to see whether it is pertinent to the case.

Guimond says the community, 120 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg, has seen increasing gang activity and drug use and it is proving deadly.

“Over the last 10 years, what I’ve noticed is that more and more of the gang influence is filtering on to the reserve from Winnipeg,” Guimond said.

“With gang activity comes drug trafficking and stuff like that, and that’s what’s killing our youth here.”

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