Jim Primeau spent over 280 days in hospital. (Image Credit: GoFundMe)

By Nigel Maxwell

Crime

Prince Albert landlord, paralyzed after shooting, dies in hospital

Mar 19, 2026 | 11:32 AM

A Prince Albert landlord who was shot while removing an evicted tenant’s belongings from the house he owned, has passed away.

Jim Primeau was 59 years old and has been in hospital since June 4, 2025. The tragic news of his passing on Wednesday was confirmed for paNOW by his sister Peggy Epp.

“He fought right to his dying day to get better. He never gave up. He never lost the will to come home,” she said.

On the night of the incident, police responded to a house in the 1900 block of 14th Street West. Initial information stated a man was shot and reportedly by someone who knew the female tenant that had been causing problems.

A picture taken at the time of the incident. (Image Credit: Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

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Primeau was left paralyzed from the neck down and was not expected to live at first, as doctors had to revive him after his heart stopped. Epp said her brother suffered every day.

“There were no painless days, and there were no days when it wasn’t on his mind and the realization that he’s never going to walk,” Epp said.

While initially transported to Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon, Primeau was later transferred to City Centre and eventually back to Victoria Hospital in Prince Albert where according to Epp, he received the best care possible and she commended the staff on the fifth floor.

“There wasn’t one day he was alone. One of us was there every day and the other thing too, is like when he got to Prince Albert, we made his meals, breakfast and supper. He never ate hospital meals,” she said.

Primeau was one of six siblings and they all had their own children. Epp said her brother treasured his relationship with his sons.

 Last July, 24-year-old Preston Bird was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, assault with a weapon, discharging a firearm with intent to injure, and possession of an unauthorized firearm.

His trial at Court of King’s Bench has been tentatively scheduled for October. It’s unclear at this time if the charges will be upgraded or if Primeau’s death will impact the scheduled court dates.

In the meantime, Epp said the family is planning to hold some sort of event to celebrate her brother’s life and to raise awareness to what occurred.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @nigelmaxwell