La Loche shootings: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to visit Saskatchewan village on Friday

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will travel Friday to La Loche, Sask., the northern village where four people died of gunshot wounds on Jan. 22.

The Prime Minister's Office made the announcement Thursday.

"Looking forward to meeting the families and supporting a community that's obviously had a terrible, terrible week," Trudeau told reporters. "We'll stand with them today, tomorrow, for weeks and months to come."

The four killed have been identified as Marie Janvier, 21, an educational assistant, Adam Wood, 35, a teacher, 
and brothers Dayne and Drayden Fontaine, aged 17 and 13 respectively.

Seven people were sent to hospital after a 17-year-old boy allegedly entered the local high school and began shooting.

The youth, whose name cannot be released, has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder and seven counts of attempted murder.

The tragedy has cast a spotlight on the social problems of indigenous communities like La Loche, a northern village of about 3,000 people located 600 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon.

Since the shooting, classes at local schools have been closed.

Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall will be in La Loche alongside Trudeau on Friday. The prime minister asked Wall to attend, according to the premier's office. 

Wall, who visited the village Sunday, has pledged to provide immediate support in the form of counselling and covering costs for people needing to travel to Saskatoon to be with people who are being treated in hospitals there.