The RCMP detachment building in Iglulik was hit by gunfire Sept. 4. A 27-year-old man has been charged with four counts of attempted murder. - NNSL file photo |
Man held in custody while community seeks answers
Iglulik man makes court appearance, police officer recovering from gunshot wound
Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services
Published Monday, October 13, 2014
IGLULIK
Donovan Iyerak, 27, made his first appearance by video in Iqaluit court Sept. 7 in relation to a shooting spree in Iglulik three days prior, where a man on a snowmobile drove around the community, shooting at the RCMP detachment and vehicles and other buildings.
One officer was shot and is recovering well at a hospital in Ottawa, said Sgt. Yvonne Niego.
Iyerak is charged with four counts of attempted murder and reckless discharge of a firearm. He is being held at the Baffin Correctional Centre.
The investigation into the incident, being carried by the Major Crimes Unit out of Winnipeg, is expected to take longer than usual.
"The crime scene is quite large and involves the detachment and buildings associated with the detachment, the force housing next door and other points around town," said Niego. "There was significant damage."
Similar shooting incidents specifically targeting RCMP occurred in Kimmirut, culminating in 2012. Niego said it took some time for the community to recover.
"Obviously, a lot of community people were very supportive of the RCMP and were able to assist in regrouping."
In Iglulik, the community was on lockdown as events unfolded Sept. 4, with people being asked to stay indoors and away from windows. The standoff, which had the community in a state of fear, lasted five hours.
"Things are calming down," said Celestino Uyarak, Iglulik's assistant senior administrative officer. "Our office is still stationed with RCMP. They're picking up people and coming into the office to do their interviews. As a hamlet, we are still operating as a municipality should. If anyone needs to come in, they can make themselves comfortable and not worry about RCMP. We're in the chambers."
Uyarak explained that the families of the RCMP have been taken out of Iglulik and are being taken care of, while relief officers from Saskatchewan are temporarily manning the post.
"As a community, we still need to talk about what we need to do to prevent these. Hamlet councillors will need to look into hamlet programs that we provide to the community."
Community members, calling into the local radio station, have already demanded that programs for young people need to be stepped up.
The day after the shooting, acting mayor Peter Ivalu, the deputy mayor, the finance director and Uyarak met and discussed what might have triggered the violence unleashed Sept. 4.
"We can't answer that prior to the investigation," said Uyarak. "Hopefully we'll get some answers in the near future and we can find ways that we can help."
A mandatory public inquest by the chief coroner's office into the death of 26-year-old Solomon Uyarasuk in an RCMP cell in 2012 is scheduled to take place in the community in November.
"Not only here in Iglulik, but all over the North, these are the things we need to deal with in each community," said Uyarak. "There seems to be a lot going on that angers the young people, whether it's their parents, grandparents, their next-door neighbour. This is the stuff all Nunavummiut will need to look into how we can prevent these in the future."
Uyarak has personal experience with grief and confusion, and is devoted to finding answers.
"Even myself, we woke up Aug. 1, early Friday morning, we found our son hanging. He committed suicide. And we're still puzzled, my wife and the kid, we're still puzzled at what caused this and how we didn't know this was coming.
"What is angering them? Is it us parents? We don't do enough parenting?"
He hopes, moving forward, everyone can work together to find much-needed answers.
"We have gone through these before. We will find a way to recover, carry on and move on."
