The trial for a man accused of second-degree murder in a 2023 killing commenced on Monday, featuring testimony from two individuals who claimed to have witnessed the accused shooting the victim. Jeremy John Blacksmith, aged 43, entered a plea of not guilty to charges of second-degree murder, possession of a weapon against an order, and breaching a release order following the death of Blaze Tacan on August 5, 2023, in Sioux Valley Dakota Nation.
Following reports of a shooting, Virden RCMP responded to the incident in Sioux Valley, where Tacan was taken to a hospital and later succumbed to his injuries. A juvenile, aged 17 at the time, was also arrested in connection with the homicide but remains unnamed under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
During the initial day of the trial at Brandon’s Court of King’s Bench, Francine Mazawasicuna, aged 43, emotionally recounted witnessing Blacksmith shooting Tacan during a confrontation on the roadside. She described the sequence of events where Blacksmith, allegedly armed, arrived after being summoned by the juvenile who was arguing with Tacan.
Francine testified that Tacan was unarmed when Blacksmith fired a fatal shot, leading to Tacan’s immediate collapse. She detailed the incident, which transpired in less than 15 minutes, illustrating the events using an aerial map to demonstrate the shooting.
In a subsequent examination, Francine confirmed that a firearm depicted in a photo resembled the one Blacksmith had. During cross-examination, defense counsel questioned the circumstances of the shooting, suggesting alternative scenarios.
Another witness, John Mazawasicuna, aged 37 and Francine’s brother, corroborated the events, stating that he saw Blacksmith shoot Tacan after an altercation between the victim and the juvenile became heated. John described seeing Blacksmith concealing an object before the shooting, which resulted in Tacan falling with a head injury.
The trial is anticipated to span approximately 10 days as more evidence and testimonies are presented in court.