Police officer injured during weekend Iglulik shooting
Man in custody after five-hour standoff
Shane Magee
Northern News Services
Published Monday, October 6, 2014
IGLULIK
A police officer shot by an Iglulik man armed with two rifles sustained a non-life-threatening injury during a tense five-hour standoff near the hamlet's RCMP detachment Oct. 4.
Celestino Uyarak, Iglulik's assistant senior administrative officer, told Nunavut News/North he was heading into the hamlet office Saturday morning when a male in his mid-20s carrying two rifles drove by on a snowmobile.
"He had a rifle on his lap and a rifle on his back and he said he'll be hunting," said Uyarak.
"He drove away not too far and I heard a gunshot. I turned around and there he was reloading, shooting at the RCMP detachment."
Police officers were called at 8:52 a.m., stated Insp. Don Halina of V Division in an RCMP news release.
When officers arrived, police vehicles were fired upon by a man who then fled the area.
One officer suffered a non-fatal gunshot wound and was undergoing medical treatment at press time. Police have not said whether officers returned fire.
After the initial shooting, an RCMP emergency response team was called in for support.
Meanwhile, the community was placed on lockdown and residents were told to stay inside.
The man kept moving around the community, finally ending up near the breakwater, said Uyarak.
After additional police officers arrived in the hamlet, Uyarak said the accused called him at home before giving himself up.
"He was crying, saying he was sorry and says he won't be shooting again. But he told me he doesn't want to go to local RCMP and he doesn't want local RCMP to arrest him," Uyarak said.
He heard five shots and then saw several local people approach the man, who surrendered to police at 2 p.m.
While the danger has passed, Uyarak said Iglulik now has to heal.
"We have a recovery to do as a community," he said. "We need to do more help for the local people if they need help."
