4 men charged after shooting, stabbing on First Nation south of Edmonton

Four men have been charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault after two men were violently attacked on the Samson First Nation in central Alberta over the weekend.

The RCMP said officers were called to the Samson First Nation townsite for reports of a fight and shots being fired at about 9 p.m. on Saturday. Two men in their 20s — one had been shot in the back and the other had been stabbed — were found outside a home.

Both men’s injuries were described as serious but non-life-threatening. The man who was shot was airlifted to hospital while the man who was stabbed was taken to hospital by ground ambulance.

In a news release issued on Monday, police said witnesses “directed officers to the four accused, who were taken into custody within minutes of the first 911 call.”

According to the Mounties, officers recovered a loaded, sawed-off .22-calibre rifle near where the accused were arrested. Several knives were then found to be in possession of two of the accused.

Twenty-eight-year-old Derek Cattleman, of Calgary, along with 38-year-old Ernest Nepoose, 29-year-old Ivor Nepoose, and 43-year-old Jarret Cabry — all of Maskwacis — have been charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault in connection with the attack. Police said all four also face additional weapons-related charges.

Police did not provide details about what led to the attack or how it unfolded.

All of the accused have been remanded into custody and are scheduled to appear in court in Wetaskiwin on Tuesday.

The Samson First Nation townsite is located about 100 kilometres south of Edmonton.