Photo: The Canadian Press

A teen has admitted to killing four people in a mass shooting at a high school and in a home in northern Saskatchewan.

The teen, who can't be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, sat quietly in Meadow Lake court Friday as his lawyer entered guilty pleas to first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of two teachers at the school in La Loche on Jan. 22.

He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the deaths of two teenage brothers at a nearby house in the remote Dene community.

He also pleaded guilty to attempted murder for wounding seven others at the school.

"I don't need to tell everyone these charges are very serious, very tragic — tragic for everyone involved in that region," said provincial court Judge Janet McIvor.

She set aside two weeks in May and June for a hearing in La Loche to determine if the killer, now 18, should be sentenced as a youth or an adult. The Crown served notice earlier this year that it wants an adult sentence.

The maximum youth sentence for first-degree murder is 10 years in custody. An adult receives an automatic life sentence and, under a new provision for multiple murders, can receive consecutive periods of parole ineligibility of up to 25 years for each victim.

"It's very important that his hearing be held in the community where these events happened," said the judge.

No agreed facts about what happened — including a motive — were submitted to the court.

At the time of the shooting, the teen's friends described him as the black sheep of his family and a victim of bullying at school. One person said the teen was often teased about his large ears.

Another student kept a screenshot of a chilling exchange that took place on social media just before the shooting.

"Just killed 2 ppl," said the message. "Bout to shoot ip the school."