Funeral held today for Colten Boushie, 22, on a Sask. First Nation - Action News
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Funeral held today for Colten Boushie, 22, on a Sask. First Nation

Today a Saskatchewan First Nation is holding a funeral for a 22-year-old man shot dead in a rural area near Biggar, Sask.

A man faces 2nd-degree murder charges after Boushie was shot and killed in a rural area near Biggar, Sask.

Colten Boushie was killed on a farm near Biggar, Sask. on Aug. 9. (Facebook)

Today a Saskatchewan First Nation is holding a funeral for a 22-year-old man shot dead in a rural area near Biggar, Sask.

On Aug. 9, Colten Boushie was shot dead on a property in the Rural Municipality of Glenside, about 123 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon.

A Saskatchewan RCMP mediarelease said five individuals came on to a private property in the rural area and were confronted by property owners.

The occupants of the vehicle, including Boushie, were not known to the property owners and a verbal exchange broke outresulting in a firearm going off striking Boushie who was inside the vehicle.

Boushie was pronounced dead at the scene and a man, 54, has been charged with second-degree murder.

On Saturday, friends and family of Boushie will come together at the Red Pheasant First Nation to remember and celebrate his memory.

Arlysee Wuttunee, the sister of Boushie's girlfriend, knew the victim, calling him one of the hardest working men she's ever met.

"I can't even fathom what they're going through, I know that at 22, he's one of the hardest workers that everyone in the community knew. He was one of the main people bringing in the money for the family, for food for bills or whatever," Wuttunee told CBC News. "Hats off to his mother. His mother raised some pretty amazing men. I can't remember a man as good as these guys. Now that he's gone, they need help."

Go Fund Me campaign

On Friday, Wuttunee went online and started a Go Fund Me page calling on donations from the community and abroad, asking for support for the family so they can host a proper post-funeral feast and other funeral expenses.

"I know with the funeral budgets here with First Nations, a lot of them don't cover tombstones so as tragic as this event is, and as amazing as this man was, it would be amazing to get them a tombstone, he deserves that," she said.

As ofFridaynight the Go Fund Me page has raised $8,690 of its $10,000 goal.

Wuttunee added a lot of Boushie's family have made the trip to Saskatchewan from different parts of the United States, including Montana to attend his funeral, however they don't have money to stay in hotels.

She added some are staying at a community centre on the First Nation, sleeping on the floor with only a blanket.

The First Nation held a community wake on Friday at the Chief Glen Keskotagan Community Centre.

The funeral service for Colten "Coco" Cale Boushie will be held at the same community centre on Saturday with the service beginning at 10 a.m. CST.

When asked about the incident, Wuttunee said her family and sought legal counsel and has been advised not to discuss matters of the incident relating to Boushie's death.

"The world will definitely be hearing from our camp when the time is right. We're not just going to stand by and let things pass and fade over," she said.