SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - After his 11-year-old stepson was shot repeatedly with an Airsoft pellet gun by a 14-year-old two weeks ago after school at Mildred Hall, David Norris said he was concerned about the way things were handled.

David Norris is upset about an assault on his stepson after class on Mildred Hall School grounds two weeks ago. Pictured here before going to his second job on Tuesday evening, he said he felt the school downplayed the incident. - Katherine Roth/NNSL photo

"It seems like everybody just wants to cover it up, sweep it under the carpet," said Norris.

Norris said his stepson got hit twice in the head, once in the neck, and twice in the back.

"When (my stepson) was on the ground, in pain, he kept shooting him," he said, adding that his stepson was bruised by the pellets.

He said he felt the shooter's status as an aboriginal and an athlete, as well as the fact that his mother is well-known in the community, may have swayed the school's response to the incident.

"People are people. I don't care who they are, where they're from, what colour, whatever. A person's actions dictates who they are to me," said Norris.

Stephen Boss, principal of the school, said none of the factors Norris mentioned about the shooter affected the way it was handled.

In fact, the shooter was still suspended from school as of Wednesday, a suspension that is nearing the two-week mark - though Boss said the total length of the suspension is between the school and the parents.

"Basically, one thing I can tell you is we listed the facts as we knew them and we had all parties meet and try to problem-solve, and the RCMP were present at all times. On the contrary, we weren't trying to sweep anything under the rug; we were trying to bring things to light and solve problems," said Boss.

Norris' wife was at the meeting but he was not, as he was working. Norris works as a mechanical technician during the day, and as a data archivist in a clinic during the evening.

Norris said he and his wife are considering laying charges, but he said he doesn't want to overwhelm the shooter because of one incident. He feels if he does he will be criticized in the community.

On the other hand, he said this is not a light incident, as the shooter attacked his stepson with a potentially dangerous weapon.

"I'm saying to myself fine, if he's a good kid and makes a mistake then OK - but he's 14 and my young fellow's 11, and a good kid doesn't just go out one day and shoot another kid five times," said Norris.

One thing both Norris and Boss share the same view on is the lack of restrictions on kids obtaining Airsoft guns.

Norris said he thinks there should be laws in place - "not just because of this case, but overall there should be some restrictions on it."

"There are restrictions for kids on buying cigarettes, and you can go out and do a lot more harm in a shorter amount of time with an Airgun than a cigarette," said Norris.

RCMP Const. Kathy Law said "there (aren't) any laws that state that you have to be 18 years of age - stores can implement their own policies if they want to."

She added if the guns are used as a weapon, though, the user can be charged with "assault with a weapon."

There aren't any bylaws relating to the use of airsoft guns, according to Doug Gillard, manager of municipal enforcement at the city.

"For a parent to be able to walk in with their kid and pick one up - it just seems too easy for a kid (of a young age) to have one," said Norris.