Kimmirut man, 37, charged with first degree murder

Young Mountie gunned down in Kimmirut

By CHRIS WINDEYER

An RCMP constable who had been on the job just six months was shot to death in Kimmirut Monday.

Douglas Scott, a 20-year old native of Brockville, Ont., died after responding to a complaint about a drunk driver in the south Baffin hamlet of 400, said Chief Superintendent Marty Cheliak.

"With any death in a family like ours it's tragic and I don't think it's really, truly sunk in yet," he said. As Cheliak spoke, more than a dozen ashen-faced RCMP members and civilian workers stood at the back of the room, some exchanging hugs and wiping away tears.

Hundreds of Iqaluit residents formed a human chain around the RCMP detachment Tuesday to mourn Scott's death and call for an end to violence in Nunavut communities. The crowd prayed, sang hymns and observed a moment's silence.

"We are all deeply saddened by the senseless and devastating news out of Kimmirut," said Al Hayward, Iqaluit's deputy mayor.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Stockwell Day, the public safety minister, and Paul Okalik, the premier, all issued statements Tuesday expressing their condolences to Scott's family.

Scott radioed V Division headquarters in Iqaluit just after 11 on Monday night to say he was responding to complaints of a drunk driver. Dispatchers tried to contact Scott moments later but got no response.

At 11:31 p.m., local residents told the second Mountie stationed in Kimmirut where Scott had gone and that the driver had crashed into a house. The Mountie went to the house and found Scott had been shot.

Shortly before midnight the drunk driver was holed up in his home. When the RCMP's emergency response team arrived from Iqaluit, Cheliak said a negotiator tried to coax the suspect out of the house.

The man surrendered shortly after 4 a.m. Tuesday and was arrested without incident, police say.

Akeego Ikkidluak, who works at the hamlet office, said Kimmirut's bylaw officer was also sent out to look for the drunk driver.

"At first people thought he might be at large, the person with the gun, so they were confused as to his whereabouts," she said.

Ikkidluak said the community is in shock from Scott's death. The young Mountie was a kind and friendly person who could speak easily with anyone, she said.

"Kids seemed to swarm at him if and when he was walking his dog there in the evening," Ikkidluak said.

Scott is the second Mountie to die in the line of duty in the past two months. Cst. Christopher Worden was shot and killed Oct. 6 responding to a call in Hay River, NWT.

"The death of any of our members is deeply felt, but when once again it occurs in one of our close-knit northern communities, the pain of that loss seems even greater," Cheliak said.

Scott's death came as Nunavut's RCMP detachment heads met in Iqaluit. On the agenda was a discussion about the policy governing the number of members who respond to calls. Right now, it's up to members to request back-up.

"The message is that if you take two, you're not going to get hurt," Sgt. Chris Brewsher of the RCMP detachment in Kugluktuk told Nunatsiaq News.

But Brewsher said that isn't necessarily true because a firearm used against RCMP members has the potential to injure more than one member.

Smaller detachments like Kimmirut are staffed with only two Mounties at a time, and four-member departments are also common in Nunavut. Bewsher said a policy requiring back-up could cost millions more in salaries and overtime.

"Policing is inherently dangerous whether you have two or 22 members at a detachment," Cheliak said. "We can never forecast what's going to happen."

Pingoatuk, or "Ping," Kolola, 37, of Kimmirut, was charged Wednesday with first degree murder after being flown to Iqaluit Tuesday on an RCMP aircraft.

As of Nunatsiaq News press-time this past Wednesday, Kolola remained in police custody and a court appearance had not been scheduled.

With files from Jane George.

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