Man fires at police, steals police vehicle

The Kativik Regional Police Force called in the Sûrété du Québec provincial police force this week to investigate a shooting by KRPF officers in Kuujjuaraapik earlier this week.

A young man fired pot shots at a house, shot at police twice, then stole a police vehicle before police shot him in the shoulder around 11 a.m. May 12.

The man's injury was minor, but all shootings by a police force must be investigated by a second police force, so the SQ were called in, said SQ spokesperson Gilles Mitchell.

Police say the mayhem in Kuujjuaraapik started early Monday morning, after the man had an argument with his girlfriend and then fetched a firearm.

The unarmed KRPF constable, who had been called in to intervene, went to a local residence, where the man was waiting.

"This man was armed and did shoot at the police officer," Mitchell said. "Nobody was injured at that point, but he was able to get inside the police vehicle and got away with it."

Witnesses say that after shooting at police, the man raced through town in the KRPF police truck, with the lights and siren on.

The KRPF asked for help from the Whapmagoostui Cree police force and then went after the man.

"Finally they found him back with the police vehicle at the dump area," Mitchell said.

Police blocked the road to the dump.

"From there, the suspect decided to shoot at the police officers," Mitchell said. "That was the second time. Nobody was injured."

Police shot back at the man at least once, injuring the man in the shoulder. They subsequently arrested him.

The man had not been formally charged by Nunatsiaq News press-time this week and his name has yet to be released.