RCMP apprehend man accused of threatening woman at Iqaluit GoC building

(Updated 9:45 p.m., March 8)

More than 24 hours after they began looking for him, Iqaluit RCMP tonight arrested Poasie Anilniliak, 34, on four Criminal Code charges and took him into custody.

Earlier today they had issued a public plea for help finding him after somebody, on Thursday morning, threatened a woman who works at the Government of Canada building and also threatened to go there with a firearm.

Police say they located Anilniliak on Friday evening at an Iqaluit hotel room and took him into custody.

“No weapons were located in Anilniliak’s possession,” police said in a news release.

He will appear before a justice of the peace for a show cause hearing on Saturday, March 9.

“The RCMP in Iqaluit thanks the public for their assistance in the apprehension of Anilniliak and helping to keep our community safe,” police said.

The RCMP said earlier this afternoon that a man made “numerous comments” to a woman at the Government of Canada building and threatened to bring a firearm to the building.

They secured the building to protect those inside and began searching for Anilniliak throughout Iqaluit, police said.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Iqaluit RCMP detachment at 867-979-0123 or, if the information is urgent, the RCMP dispatch centre at 867-979-1111.