The Tragic Story of the Shell Lake Massacre

Thanks to Historic Mail for sponsoring this video!

The Shell Lake Massacre was a horrific event that took place in the early hours of August the 15th 1967. In this episode we explore the lives of all those involved and the lead up to one of the worst mass killings in Canada's history.

[WellINever]

Thanks to Historic Mail for sponsoring this video

[joepalooka]

I had forgotten about this incredibly tragic story, but your video brought back my memories. It was 1967, Canada's Centennial Year. The whole country was consumed by the happy celebrations of Canada's 100th birthday. Canada was a simpler, smaller place than it is now. I was a teenager taking part in the events, like all school children coast to coast, no doubt including the Peterson children. The joyous festivities were totally interrupted by the devastating news of the Shell Lake Massacre. The entire nation was united in shock and horror. To this day it remains one of the most terrible, tragic events in Canadian history. Words fail to describe the horror and the overwhelming grief. God be with the Peterson family.

[debbyparker]

This is one of the most tragic stories you've covered, that poor family . ❤

[Jmal]

Such a sad event. All of those lives taken and that poor 4 year old having to be the witness to it. I'm glad she had her sister to care for her, but man. I can't imagine the pain they both endured, and with people constantly nosing their way around the property on top of that.

[maisiesummers]

I only discovered this channel a few months ago, and it has been strangely compelling. One day I hope to see you cover the case of Minnie Dean, the only woman to be hanged in this history of New Zealand.
Thank you for producing these. Hope you enjoy the break.

[KreativeGal]

It's so terrible that Phyllis didn't want to be buried with her family, that's how intrusive people were. The family continues to be attacked, even in death. These people should be ashamed of themselves. How can you treat anyone's resting place as some sort of tourist attraction, let alone the resting place of a family that was brutally murdered and left a few members still grieving??? I just can't wrap my head around it. 🥺

[brittanybecker]

I live in Saskatchewan, Canada and grew up in North Battleford, home of the (in)famous Saskatchewan Hospital which was one of two 'state of the art' hospitals build to specialize in mental illness its sister hospital being in Weyburn. My parents told us how this incident changed the province and terrified residents. It truly was a 'people who never locked their doors began to' event. It also marked the downfall of the two hospitals, Weyburn has been torn down and the 'new' Saskatchewan Hospital in North Battle if functioning at a third of capacity with ongoing water and structural issues. Too many people here still think mental health is either a matter of willpower or a supernatural occurrence. The province is a tragic leader in domestic violence and mental illness despite being barely over a million residents. Its heartbreaking this place refuses to learn the lessons from this event.

[tammygilmer]

I definitely remember this as I grew up in Carievale, Saskatchewan...I was almost 10 years old (September 3, 1957) when this massacre happened...RIP Peterson family 🙏

[renee]

How does a Heartbroken person cope with Losing so many Family Members to Murder???!!! Unimaginable, and beyond Devastating!🥀🥀🥀🙏🙏🙏💔💔💔🕊️🕊️🕊️

[moxfoulder]

I love how well the sponsor lines up with the theme of the channel. I usually skip past sponsors but this one was worth the watch.

[scaone]

As per your request 'Well I never' perhaps this is one for future telling (added edit to clarify the reason for the comment)
I am a Brit, ex-pat living in Costa Rica and this was considered as the crime when Costa Rica lost it's innocence. The sad thing is the real culprit(s) were never brought to justice. Masacre de la Cruz de Alajuelita, occurred in 1986 when an adult female and 6 children aged between 4 and 16 were shot dead on a hillside while returning from a religious pilgrimage from the Cross of Alajueita.

[kyleashdown]

Great video Paul, and as someone who’s lived here my whole life I give bonus points for nailing the pronunciation of “Saskatchewan” 💯

[lindawilson]

There are some people that should never be released to walk amongst us...ever again. He was one of them. Shame on the system. My heart goes out to the families.

[Romyyy]

I always appreciate your videos on Canada! It can be hard to find videos on Canadian stories sometimes

[Tunapie]

This is so well presented. You are a good storyteller. Thank you. ❤

[miriam]

This was such a sad story. RIP to all the victims. Thank you for sharing this story. 😢 merry Christmas.

[gigiwilson]

Thank you Paul for taking the time to share this tragedy

[TheTalaricianKatakorn]

A story suggestion: L'Inconnue de la Seine, or Resusci Anne. She was a forever unidentified drowned woman retrieved from the river Seine in the 1880s. In a macabe turn of events, her corpse became a tourist attraction in a morgue window due to her beautiful and serene apperance. After a while, copies of her death mask were even sold as souvenirs.
Many many years later, her face became the very face used on cpr training dummys; ironically to help train people save lives from the same fate she met hundreds of years ago.

[charlottesavage]

Hi Paul! Love your videos. I think you're one of the few youtubers as well I not only watch the sponsor section but also find some of your sponsors look actually interesting as opposed to "Raid shadow legends for the 1000th time" people... :)
Hope you have a good Christmas.

[mlfett]

A very sad story - strange that it was rather under-reported in the rest of the country. Canada was celebrating its 100th birthday that year, and I suspect that horrible news was not what people wanted to hear.