ESTEVAN — Sgt. Braden Lonsberry says it's good to be back on duty with the Estevan Police Service, and he's not overly surprised he returned so quickly.
The 17-year member of the local police service had his first shift back with the EPS on Dec. 6, just five weeks after he was shot in the stomach and seriously injured in an incident at the EPS building on Nov. 1. He is back to regular duty with his patrol unit, although he did work a somewhat modified schedule at first, taking only day shifts. He expects to work a night shift for the first time on his next rotation.
"I was ready to be back," he said in an interview with the Mercury and SaskToday.
Police Chief Rich Lowen said he and other members of the EPS were "pleasantly shocked" with Lonsberry's recovery and his return to service.
The incident at the police station remains under investigation by the Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT), so Lonsberry and Lowen can't yet delve into the specifics of what happened that day until after SIRT's final report is tabled. The suspect, 19-year-old Justice Guillas of Estevan, was shot by another member of the EPS and later died in a Regina hospital.
Guillas had been arrested after killing his mother, Karie Ann Guillas, 46, also of Estevan.
Lonsberry is grateful for the level of care he received from his co-workers, colleagues, the Estevan Emergency Medical Services team and the staff at St. Joseph's Hospital on the day of the incident.
"It was a crazy day for them and it was amazing … because I was awake, just to see everybody there. I've told several people that I've never felt more cared for," said Lonsberry.
He was then taken to the trauma room at the Regina General Hospital, where "everybody was amazing".
Lowen previously paid tribute to the care that Lonsberry received in a letter to the editor in mid-November, saying the emergency service provided by the members of St. Joseph's Hospital and paramedics was the best he had witnessed in 34 years of policing.
"It was truly amazing just how I was cared for, and not just me but my family. Nina [Lonsberry's wife] was there, my one daughter was there, too, she came down. It was amazing how well I was treated, but even more so just how my family was treated," said Lonsberry.
"One of the things that is interesting is you have to recognize how much pressure the hospital was put on that day," added Lowen. "There was the victim of the … [initial] homicide and then there were the two people from the building here, one with Braden and one with the suspect who was shot as well. All three were in emergency at the same time."
While Lonsberry was in hospital, he said the Saskatchewan Federation of Police Officers was there for his family. Other services reached out to offer what they could, and other services came to Estevan to provide assistance.
"I was looked after amazingly, but I was touched with the support that Nina and my family had, here and in Regina," said Lonsberry.
After he was released from the hospital in Regina, Lonsberry stopped at the police station to visit some of the members.
"I didn't want the office to be a scary place for me, and it's been fine," Lonsberry said.
"I can say that the joy of watching him walk through that door was a bit overwhelming, after last seeing him being loaded onto the back of a helicopter," added Lowen.
Lonsberry didn't have to undergo any special physical rehabilitation before returning to active duty. He was back in the gym within a week and a half. The bigger challenge was on the mental side.
"Nina and I met with a psychologist the next day [Nov. 2] and then we met with another one before we left Regina," Lonsberry said. "The bigger thing was just going through that and making sure I was ready to get back, not so much physically but emotionally and mentally, and for Nina to be ready for me to come back was a big part of it mentally, too."
Everyone at the Estevan Police Service has been great. If they've had concerns, he's been able to talk to them, and they've been able to help him through it, too.
The community has also been with him throughout the process. He and his wife know a lot of people because he has been an officer for nearly two decades and she is from the area.
"I'm still getting people reaching out and asking how I'm doing. You find out how great it is to be in a small community, and people are reaching out and genuinely concerned about you," said Lonsberry.
When he stopped to check the mail earlier this week, a couple of cards were waiting for him from people wishing him well.
Lonsberry has also been active in the hockey community over the years and has officiated at different levels of the sport. He has already refereed a couple of Big Six Hockey League games, one in Carlyle on Friday night and the other in Carnduff on Saturday. Players that he has coached and officiated came up to him to tell him it's great to have him back on the ice.
"It was pretty touching, actually, to have the number of players come up and wish you well, and some of the fans after [did the same]," he said.
He hopes to be back on the ice for the Saskatchewan Male AAA Hockey League or the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League before the end of the season. After the incident, the referee assigners at Hockey Sask reached out to Lonsberry to offer their best wishes and to let him know he'd be welcome back when ready.
Lonsberry said he will continue to have appointments with a psychologist to address his mental health, so he can continue to do as well as he says he is now.
