Nunavut police arrest Sanikiluaq man after alleged firearms incident

A 20-year-old man faces a charge of careless use of a firearm after a March 21 incident in Sanikiluaq. (FILE PHOTO)

Police have charged a young man, 20, in Sanikiluaq for the careless use of a firearm.

The charge is in connection with an incident that took place on Wednesday, leading to a half-hour lockdown in the Hudson Bay community of about 700.

On Wednesday, March 21, at about 10 a.m., members of the Sanikiluaq RCMP detachment received a complaint that a man was in a physical fight with his nephew.

The nephew is accused of starting to load a firearm, prompting the man to run to the police station, the RCMP said in a Friday morning release.

Officers with the Sanikiluaq RCMP then went to the house where the altercation had taken place, but, by then, police say the man’s nephew had left with the loaded shotgun.

The RCMP, fearing for the safety of the public, decided to declare a community lockdown.

The lockdown ended after about 30 minutes, the release said.

Johnassie Eyaituk, 20, turned himself in to RCMP without incident.

The RCMP said Friday that they had located the firearm involved.

Alcohol was not a factor in the incident, and Eyaituk’s uncle was treated for minor injuries, police said.

Police arrested Eyaituk, charging him with one count of careless use of a firearm.

Eyaituk was released on a promise to appear and an undertaking with conditions to protect the public.

He’s scheduled to appear in court on May 14 in Sanikiluaq.