by Glenn Taylor
Northern News Services

INUVIK (Jan 09/98) - An Inuvik man who fired a shotgun at a party after a fight has pleaded guilty to two counts.

Shane Goesen, 23, plead guilty in territorial court this week to assault and using a firearm in the commission of an offence. The latter charge carries a minimum of one year in jail. Police have released him from custody, and Goesen will be sentenced Jan. 29.

The incident occurred Jan. 1, at 10 a.m., following a fight between Goesen and another man at a house party. The fight followed a verbal disagreement that quickly escalated into violence.

Goesen left the party and returned with a shotgun. When he met the man he had fought with earlier, the two locked in a wrestling match over the gun, which then went off in the house. Several people were at the house at the time, but no one was injured.

When Goesen left the party and returned to his house with the gun shortly after, police were called. RCMP Cpl. Sean Neary said police surrounded Goesen's house and waited for him to come out.

When he left his house and attempted to start his snowmobile shortly after, police moved in and arrested Goesen without incident. A shotgun was recovered from a sled near the snowmobile.