Morris doctor's killing in apparent murder-suicide 'huge loss' for small Manitoba community

A small Manitoba town is grappling with the loss of a beloved doctor who authorities say was killed in an apparent murder-suicide over the weekend.

Dr. Anna Kolakowski, 65, was shot and killed by her son, Olaf Kolakowski, in the early hours of Saturday morning, RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Paul Manaigre confirmed on Wednesday.

The 32-year-old also shot and injured his father, 59-year-old Mariusz Kolakowski, before turning the gun on himself, Manaigre confirmed in an email.

Mounties previously said they responded to a home in the rural municipality of Morris, just outside the town of Morris and about 60 kilometres south of Winnipeg, around 12:35 a.m. Saturday.

They found Dr. Anna Kolakowski and her son dead inside the home and treated her husband at the scene for non-life-threatening injuries.

'An amazing doctor': patient

Alexa Sereda said Kolakowski had been treating her at the Morris General Hospital's clinic for the past four years, sinceSeredamoved to the town of roughly 2,000 people.

"It's a huge loss to the community. She was an amazing doctor,"said Sereda, 30.

She got choked up as she talked about Kolakowski, who she said was a great listener.

The doctor always went out of her way to make sure her patients were cared for, said Sereda whether that meant making sure she was the one to call with important test results instead of getting an assistant to do it, or letting an appointment run long so a patient got the care they needed.

"I actually lost a pregnancy about a month ago and she treated me throughout that, and she was just very compassionate," Sereda said, her voice breaking.

"She was just a really lovely person. She carried herself with so much grace. I remember thinking the first time that I met her that, like, when I was older, that I wished that I could carry myself the way that she did."

Sereda said that loss is being felt by Kolakowski's many patients, including her and her three-year-old daughter, across Morris and the surrounding communities.

Lori Henry, finance manager and former medical clerk at the Ginew Wellness Center in nearby Roseau River Anishinaabe First Nation, said Kolakowski also had many clients in that community.

Henry said Kolakowski had been coming to the First Nation for about a decade before she stopped visiting when the COVID-19 pandemic began, but her many clients in Roseau River continued to travel to Morris to see her for appointments.

The RCMP's investigation into the deaths is still ongoing "in terms of ensuring all investigative steps have been completed," such as gathering statements andreports,Manaigre said.

If you or someone you know is struggling, here's where to get help:

• Talk Suicide Canada: 1-833-456-4566 (phone) | 45645 (text between 4 p.m. and midnight ET).
• Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 (phone), live chat counselling on the website.
• Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention: Find a 24-hour crisis centre.
• This guide from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health outlines how to talk about suicide with someone you're worried about.