Our #10 story of the year marks what was a grim moment for the city: the first homicide of 2020.

At around 3:20 in the afternoon on Oct. 28, residents noticed a sudden increase in police activity around the 0 block of Stadacona St. W, which included paramedics, forensic photographers, and officers in plastic coveralls.

Police were responding to a call in an apartment building just off of Main St. when they discovered a man suffering from multiple stab wounds.

33-year-old Shaun Holmes of Moose Jaw was declared dead at the scene.

The investigation led officers to a residence on the 400 block of Ominica St. E at approximately 10 pm that evening. A 33-year-old suspect had barricaded himself in the home and refused to surrender himself, despite multiple efforts from the police.

A long standoff ensued until the RCMP's Emergency Response Unit was called in and broke into the home. The suspect was extracted without further incident at around 4 a.m. on Oct. 29. The entire process occurred in just over twelve hours.

As a result, Vincent William Pickens of Moose Jaw was charged with second-degree murder and several breaches of court orders.

Pickens has since been held in remand at the Regina Correctional Centre and is appearing at docket court on Dec. 23. No trial date has yet been set.

This was Moose Jaw's first, and hopefully, only homicide of 2020.