A man from Sioux Valley Dakota Nation, aged 43, who is facing trial for second-degree murder, claimed to the police that the 21-year-old victim, Blaze Tacan, shot himself, as revealed in a court session in Brandon, Manitoba. Jeremy John Blacksmith pleaded not guilty to the shooting death of Tacan in August 2023, who was also a member of the same Dakota Nation community. Blacksmith faces two additional charges related to weapons offenses.
Another individual, who was a minor at the time of the incident, was also apprehended in connection with the murder according to the Youth Criminal Justice Act, and their identity remains protected.
The tragic event unfolded on August 5, 2023, when Virden RCMP responded to a shooting incident in Sioux Valley. Tacan was discovered at the scene and was rushed to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
During the fourth day of the trial at the Court of King’s Bench in Brandon, a video statement lasting two hours, given by Blacksmith to the RCMP investigators the day after the shooting, was presented. Blacksmith portrayed the victim as a bully, alleging that he had witnessed Tacan brandishing what appeared to be a firearm tucked in his waistband.
In the video, Blacksmith denied any involvement in the shooting, emphasizing that he was innocent. When pressed by the investigator about who shot Blaze, Blacksmith insisted that Tacan had shot himself. However, the investigator expressed skepticism, indicating that witnesses had seen Blacksmith firing at Tacan.
Testimonies from witnesses indicated that Tacan was engaged in a dispute with the underage accused before Blacksmith arrived and discharged a firearm, causing Tacan to collapse. Additionally, another witness testified to seeing Blacksmith taking aim and shooting Tacan.
Furthermore, the court learned that an RCMP officer discovered a sawed-off shotgun, concealed in a red and black sweater, at the crime scene. Const. Tirrell Lukye, one of the first officers present after the incident, testified about the discovery and the subsequent documentation of the weapon.
The prosecution’s final witness, a forensic specialist named Loli Huang, based in Ontario, conducted tests on gunshot residue found on the hands and faces of both Blacksmith and the juvenile suspect. Huang confirmed the presence of gunshot residue on their hands but not on their faces.
The trial, overseen by Justice Elliot Leven, is scheduled to continue on Friday and is anticipated to conclude by the end of the following week.