Infighting among gangs leads to charges
Nine people now before the courts after shootings between July, October last year
A lengthy investigation into a home invasion and a pair of driveby shootings laid bare fractures that can exist between those involved in street gangs.
The Regina Police Service released information about the investigation on Tuesday, providing details on a series of incidents that began on July 7, 2019 and continued until Oct. 31 — all of which led to nine people being charged.
The complainants, police said, were members or associates of the same gang as those accused.
“Conflict within the street gang resulted in threats to cause death, extortion and acts of retribution ...,” said Supt. Corey Zaharuk. “There’s oftentimes a lot of conflict in streets gangs. You often have people joining the street gangs because there’s commonality and you have a group of individuals who can be very volatile.”
Zaharuk told reporters that on the July date, three armed people broke into a residence on the 1600 block of Ottawa Street and twice shot a 24-year-old woman. Zaharuk said the shooting was carried out “for the benefit of, at the direction of and in association with a criminal organization.”
During the early morning on Sept. 19, police were called to the General Hospital when a 34-yearold man showed up with a gunshot injury. Police learned he was wounded during a drive-by shooting.
The same man was targeted on Oct. 31 in yet another drive-by shooting. In that case, he was seriously injured when the occupants of a vehicle opened fire while he was inside a second vehicle.
Zaharuk declined to identify the gang involved, stating it would lend notoriety, but also because the name is “racially disparaging.”
People had already been charged with the various incidents, but further charges have since been laid, including against a man accused of having instructed offences.
In the first shooting, 40-year-old Ramie Louis Bellegarde, 25-yearold Taylor Jay Keshane, 28-yearold Kelly Leo Lonethunder and 23-year-old Elizabeth Marjorie Pascal were each charged with attempted murder as well as criminal organization-related offences.
The September shooting led to attempted murder and criminal organization-related charges against Bellegarde, 36-year-old Thomas Adam Stevenson and 32-year-old Glenn Travis Sutherland.
The third incident led to criminal organization and attempted murder charges against Bellegarde, Keshane and 30-year-old Justin James Papequash, as well as a 17-year-old youth.
Bellegarde is additionally charged with extortion, uttering threats and instructing the commission of an offence for a criminal organization.
All eight are now before the court. A ninth person, 33-year-old Misty Shay Taypotat, is the subject of a warrant for participating in the activities of a criminal organization.
Zaharuk said police deal with gang issues daily, but added the gang unit is more than an enforcement unit.
“They really work to support those who are associated or directly impacted by street gang activity,” he said. “They have lots of contacts out in the community, and oftentimes are very much relied upon (by) those who are in serious trouble or are trying to get away from the street gangs.”
Zaharuk said intervention remains key in preventing young people from joining gangs. He referred to The Regina intersectoral Partnership (TRIP) as one such program police are involved in.
“That’s a number of community agencies coming together to help improve the outcomes in young people’s lives and ensuring that their families are supported, ensuring they’re attending school and ensuring that they ’re exposed to as much pro-social activities as possible,” he said.
Zarahuk added city police have had input into the establishment of the province’s Gang Violence Reduction Strategy.
“We’re hopeful that that’s going to have an impact allowing individuals who are looking to exit to have additional supports in the community,” he said.
He noted when comparing this year to last, Regina numbers show a 20 per cent decrease in gun crime so far.
Police are still investigating and ask that anyone with information call city police at 306-777-6500, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or the nearest police service or RCMP detachment.