ESTEVAN — Investigations are ongoing after two separate but connected incidents last Wednesday in Estevan left a mother and her son dead and a member of the Estevan Police Service in hospital with a gunshot wound.
According to the EPS, officers were dispatched to an apartment in the 1200-block of Sixth Street at approximately 6:38 a.m. The information that police received was that a woman was injured and bleeding.
Officers attended and located the woman suffering from what the EPS called "serious upper-body injuries". She was transported by Estevan EMS to St. Joseph's Hospital, where the EPS said she died at 9:28 a.m. The EPS deemed her death as a homicide – the first such incident in Estevan since June 2021.
The victim was identified as Karie Ann Guillas, age 46, of Estevan. An EPS investigation into her death is ongoing. No additional details were immediately released.
Officers arrested the woman's 19-year-old son, Justice Guillas, at the scene and he was transported to the police station. According to the EPS, during the course of the homicide investigation, an altercation took place at the police station between Justice Guillas and an EPS officer. The identity of the officer has not been released publicly.
Saskatchewan's Serious Incident Response Team, which is heading up the investigation into what happened at the police station, said it was notified by the EPS about an officer-involved shooting that had taken place within the building at approximately 9:25 a.m.
"During the process of photographing the man, a confrontation took place and the man gained control of an EPS-issued firearm," SIRT said in a news release. "During the incident, one member of EPS was shot, sustaining a serious injury. A second EPS member discharged their service pistol, striking the 19-year-old man."
EPS members provided first aid until Estevan EMS arrived. Sirens could be heard throughout the community as emergency crews rushed to the scene and ambulances were seen in the alley north of the police station. Traffic was diverted from the 1100-block of Fourth Street.
EMS provided care to both the officer and Guillas before both individuals were transported to hospital, first in Estevan and then to Regina.
According to the EPS, the officer was listed in stable condition on Wednesday afternoon and was released from hospital on Friday.
Justice Guillas died that afternoon in a Regina hospital.
The EPS said there were no other suspects in the homicide and there was no risk to the public. But there was an increased police presence in front of the residence until Thursday afternoon, with an EPS vehicle at the scene and yellow police tape blocking the entrance.
Hospital was on lockdown
St. Joseph's Hospital posted a sign on its window, saying it was in lockdown on Wednesday morning and it was only accepting patients for emergencies. The lockdown ended in the early afternoon.
Hospital executive director Candace Kopec said the limited information they received from the police as the situation began in the morning made them take serious measures to ensure the safety of staff, patients in their care and the community.
"That emergency response procedure was in response to a safety threat in the community," Kopec said. "We didn't have all of the information, so in talking briefly to police, the decision was quickly made to lock all doors until we had adequate information to assess the situation."
With a lack of clarity on the situation, the hospital went on full lockdown and was preparing to have the intercom doors blocked, Kopec explained. But soon, it was determined there was no longer a threat to the community. They continued to keep all doors secured and monitored, which meant all other doors remained locked and they controlled traffic coming in through the front door.
"We reduced the traffic because many departments had below-baseline staffing, as they were responding to the emergency situation," Kopec explained.
She noted that all patients in their care received all the care they required, and they were still able to provide some essential outpatient care.
One STARS helicopter was dispatched to Estevan that day. Normally, its missions carry two medical crew members – one critical care paramedic and one critical care nurse. However, a second critical care paramedic was on board.
STARS was involved in the transport of a second patient from Estevan, but it was by ground with the second STARS critical care paramedic assisting on board the ground ambulance.
Criminal history
Justice Guillas had been involved in a multi-vehicle incident north of the city in January that left Estevan's Troy LeBlanc in hospital with serious ankle injuries.
Guillas was sentenced to 343 days in prison but was given credit for the 61 days he spent in remand, so the sentence was reduced by 92 days, leaving it at 245 days. That sentence would have ended on later this month but he was released on Aug. 21, according to the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety.
Guillas pleaded guilty to one count each of assault, assault with intent to steal, resisting a police officer and mischief. Several other charges were stayed.
The ministry did not give details on why Guillas was released nearly three months early, but it noted all sentenced provincial offenders in Canada are subject to the federal Prisons and Reformatories Act, which contains provisions governing how sentenced provincial inmates earn remission credit for time served.
"When remission is credited against a sentence being served by a prisoner … the prisoner is entitled to be released from imprisonment before the expiration of the sentence," states a section on the ministry's website on remissions.
"I miss her terribly"
Michael Dumba worked with Karie Guillas at the Ice Factory off-sale business in Estevan. While it's been eight and a half years since they worked together, he said they remained close and he said "I miss her terribly."
"I couldn't ask for [a better friend]," said Dumba. "Anytime I was down in the dumps or anything like that, she always wanted to make sure I was okay."
Regardless of what was happening in her life, she came to work with a smile on her face and she wanted her co-workers to do the same.
"We started working together and then we started talking outside of work," said Dumba.
She didn't talk about her family a lot, but Dumba said, as far as he could see, she was a "very kind and loving parent" who sought to keep her personal and professional lives separate.
Dumba said he works in health care and recalled that last Wednesday, he heard about the incidents. He didn't find out that his friend had died until a member of the family posted on social media.
"When I found out it was her, it just caught me off guard, and especially knowing that it was her son that did it … that was what really caught me off guard," said Dumba.
He added he respects the Guillas family's privacy during this very difficult time, and also expressed his support for the police officer and family who have to deal with this situation.
Investigations continue
A SIRT team consisting of the civilian executive director and five SIRT investigators has been deployed to Estevan to begin their investigation.
SIRT's investigation will examine the actions of police during this incident. The EPS will continue to investigate the initial homicide, and the RCMP is investigating the injuries sustained by the EPS member during the incident.
This marks the first time since its inception at the start of the year that SIRT has been called to investigate an incident in which an officer was seriously injured.
SIRT says no further information will be released at this time. A final report will be issued to the public within 90 days of the investigation ending.
"The length of the investigation will be entirely dependent on the unique circumstances of each serious incident," the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety said in an e-mail to the Mercury.
Police Chief Rich Lowen thanked the community for all of the support that the EPS has received since the incident occurred.
"It's greatly appreciated by all of the members of the service," Lowen said.
The Weyburn Police Service provided assistance with policing duties in Estevan on the day of the incidents.
Tributes flowed into the officer and the EPS on social media in the hours after the incidents.
"It is a reminder how all protective services officers put their lives at risk every day to protect all of us. We owe them all a tremendous debt of gratitude," said Premier Scott Moe. "Our thoughts are with the officer as we hope for a full recovery."
"Our thoughts are with the Estevan Police Service as we pray for a speedy recovery for the member involved in a shooting this morning at Estevan police HQ," the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police said in a post on its X page.
