Kuujjuaq protest demands justice after police shooting in Salluit

For the second straight day, about 50 people angered by a police shooting that killed one person and injured another protested the Nunavik Police Service’s actions.

Outside the Kuujjuaq police station on Tuesday, protesters carried signs saying “justice for Joshua” and “justice for the twins.”

Protesters stand in front of the Nunavik Police Service station in Kuujjuaq with photos of Garnett and Joshua Papigatuk. (Photo by Cedric Gallant)

There was a similar scene in Salluit Monday where the shootings had occurred earlier that day.

On Monday in Salluit, two Nunavik police officers responded at 4:10 a.m. to a report of someone attempting to drive while impaired, a news release issued Tuesday by Quebec’s police watchdog, the Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes, said.

Minutes later, an altercation broke out between police and two people.

Officers used an electric pulse weapon, or stun gun, and pepper spray to try to control them, the investigators said.

An officer fired a gun once in the direction of one of the individuals, who was injured. The struggle continued with the second person and more shots were fired.

First aid was performed on both people, who were taken to the hospital. One was pronounced dead, and the other was medevaced but remains in stable condition, according to the investigators.

A protester holds up the image of twin brothers Joshua and Garnet Papigatuk at the Kativik Regional Government office. (Photo by Cedric Gallant)

Quebec’s Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes investigates when someone other than a police officer suffers serious injury or dies as a result of firearm use by a police officer.

Jérémie Comtois, a spokesperson for the investigators office, said in a phone interview that investigators have police body-camera footage taken during the incident.

It’s not known whether the individuals were armed. That information likely won’t be released until the investigation is complete, which could take months, he said.

On Tuesday, Makivvik Corp. issued a news release condemning the police actions “that led to this tragic outcome.” It identified the person killed as Joshua Papigatuk and the injured person as his twin brother, Garnet Papigatuk.

“This tragedy is a painful reminder that policing in Nunavik needs significant reform to truly serve and protect our people,” Makivvik president Pita Aatami said.

The Papigatuk family started a fundraiser to alleviate flight and accommodations costs related to supporting Garnet’s recovery. They have received over $23,000 so far.

Speaking to protesters Tuesday outside the Kuujjuaq Forum, leader Suzy Kauki said, “We cannot feel unsafe and unprotected in our own community. We have to be able to trust police services. They are supposed to serve the people.”

Protesters stand in front of Kuujjuaq’s courthouse holding signs with messages like “justice for joshua” and “justice for the twins.” (Photo by Cedric Gallant)

“That is how we can be heard. If we unite and we agree that this is wrong,” she said.

The march started at the Forum and stopped in front of the Nunavik Police Service station and courthouse before reaching the Kativik Regional Government office. It ended in a prayer in front of the Tulattavik Health Centre.

“I call on … all the institutions of Nunavik to stand by [so there’s] no more police brutality,” Kauki said.

Mistrust between the community and police has been brewing for a long time, she said.

“This issue needed to be addressed way before,” she said, calling for a bond of transparency between police and the community.

Kuujjuaq elder Martha Greig said, “This is going to take a while for the community to heal.”

She said Joshua Papigatuk and his partner recently had a baby girl.

“Imagine what the partner is feeling right now,” Greig said.

Everyone needs to take part in healing the relationship between police and Inuit, Greig added.

“As Inuit, we have to look after ourselves by obeying the law and so forth,” she said. “The police that we rely on have to also understand, and not use the resources of guns to put a halt on a situation.”

She called for police and Nunavimmiut to have a “long discussion so that we can get ourselves back to feeling safe.”

“There has to be healing, it is not just leaders that have to fix it, but it is everybody,” she said.

There must be “proper justice, not just a slap on the hands” for the Salluit incident, she said,

People rely on police to keep them safe.

“But when you look at what happened, are we really safe?” she asked.

Protesters hold hands as elder Martha Greig leads a prayer in front of the Tulattavik Health Centre in Kuujjuaq, in solidarity with the Papigatuk family. (Photo by Cedric Gallant)