Jennifer Pritchett
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jul 22/98) - A Repulse Bay youth will spend no time in jail for pointing a gun at a 19-year-old from the community and killing him last September.

The 14-year-old, whose identity is protected under the Young Offenders Act, pleaded guilty to criminal negligence causing death and was sentenced July 9 during a special sitting of territorial court in Repulse Bay. Police say 19-year-old Allan Ivalutanar died instantly Sept. 19, 1997, after he was shot in the chest. The 14-year-old pointed a gun at Ivalutanar and shot him while target shooting on a hunting trip.

Visiting Judge Fred Coward sentenced the teen to two years probation and ordered him to perform 240 hours of community service. He is also prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm for two years and is to participate in a firearm safety course, a requirement for all firearm owners in Canada after Oct. 1.

Until then, the NWT remains the only jurisdiction in the country where a safety course isn't mandatory to acquire a firearms acquisition certificate. New federal firearms regulations to be implemented this fall will require firearm owners in the North, for the first time, to have an FAC to register their guns.