Pedestrian killed in Iqaluit, RCMP confirms
Police ask for witnesses to come forward as coroner’s office investigates Saturday morning incident
The RCMP and Iqaluit paramedics responded to a fatal vehicle accident at around 1:30 a.m. on Aug. 10. (Photo by Jeff Pelletier)
A pedestrian was struck and killed early Saturday morning in a motor vehicle collision that drew a police and emergency services response, the Nunavut RCMP says.
The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. on Aug. 10, said a news release RCMP sent out late Monday afternoon — more than two and a half days later.
The release did not provide the victim’s name, age or gender.
When asked for that information, RCMP spokesperson Staff Sgt. Maj. Pauline Melanson said she could not provide those details due to the ongoing investigation.
The RCMP asked anyone who might have seen anything to call them.
The collision resulted in the closure of approximately 200 metres of Sivumugiaq Street (formerly Federal Road) between the Aqsarniit hotel and the RCMP’s Nunavut headquarters, the release said.
The closure forced taxis and other vehicles picking up passengers leaving the hotel at last call to diverge as officers and first responders told passersby to keep a distance from the scene.
Nunavut’s coroner’s office is investigating, an employee who refused to identify themselves confirmed over the phone.
“I cannot tell you anything yet because it’s still under investigation, and I’m still waiting on some reports from [the] RCMP,” the coroner’s office employee said.
Yellow paint marks where the RCMP investigated a fatal motor collision in Iqaluit early Saturday. (Photo by Jeff Pelletier)
The coroner’s office is responsible for investigating all sudden, unnatural, unexpected, unattended and unexplained deaths in the territory, according to its website.
A vehicle with coroner’s office markings was on the scene Saturday at around 2:30 a.m.
A City of Iqaluit ambulance and fire Chief Steve McGean were also on scene.
“We cannot respond to questions at this time as this is an ongoing police investigation,” said city spokesperson Geoff Byrne in an email.
By Saturday afternoon, the area of the collision was cleared, except for some yellow paint sprayed on the roadway by the investigating officers.
Those markers were still visible Monday afternoon.
They were loved and will be missed deeply. Dearest sympathies to the family and friends affected by this tragic event ❤️🩹
What are the chances it was a drunk driver?
Or one of the cab drivers persistently on their cell phones.
Or a drunk pedestrian. Before making dumb statements like these, we should wait for the facts to be presented.
Iqaluit has no sidewalks! Let alone small towns elsewhere up here. Drivers are responsible to be safe drivers. Always. Regardless if there are ‘drunks’, unmindful kids, pedestrians. Road safety education lacks anywhere in Nunavut. There is a lack of overall big picture planning, assessing and mainly reactive responding by the government. Hello!
You wait Paul, we’ll assume….
Very likely. Also young and “local”. And because they’re “local” no just true justice will be served.
Sending my thoughts to the victims family ❤️ let’s hope people do the right thing and report what they saw. People shouldn’t have to worry about walking and getting hit fatality.
Or possibly any driver in Iqaluit. Another dumb (perhaps racist) statement.
Iqaluit is not a pedestrian or driver friendly place. Drivers are constantly challenged by other drivers (who are on their cell phones); with poor indicating (usually too late and at the last minute or not at all) and turning etiquette, or who don’t understand the rules of right of way (either taking it or giving it when they shouldn’t); by loose dogs; by kids who don’t look before they cross or who cross from blind spot areas; and pedestrians not knowing where to walk or walking wide off the pedestrian trail (such as it or is not). Pedestrians are challenged by bad and poorly marked or maintained pedestrian pathways; by loose dogs that or may nip at their ankles; by an increasing incidence of other pedestrians behaving abusively; by drivers with bad etiquette, especially bad parking and leaving parking spot etiquette. There is little road safety education: wear clothing that helps you be seen; if you can’t do that, use your phone light in the dark, or a flashlight; etc., And let’s support each other to not drink and drive; to not drink and walk home late at night along a deserted stretch of road, etc., Please, we’re all human and we all make mistakes. Let’s look out for each other.
Anyone under 18 need a curfew, it is a dangerous town with them out after 8pm.
Just another sad example of why walking in this town scares me.
Way to many speculations, and I don’t no why not more information are released. A drunk and under drug influence killed a person on Federal road. Unfortunately, drunk drivers are very normal on Iqaluit roads, and it was just a matter of time that this happens.
I feel sad for both families involved, it’s so unnecessary and avoidable. IQ and RCMP, fix our roads (drivers)
Information hasn’t been released because it is an ongoing investigation by the RCMP. Once they have all the facts, expect more information to be released.
Please show your name. I bet many cap drivers and residents would like to know who can post something so stupid
For the respect of the deceased’s family, I believe this image was unnecessary. My heartfelt condolences go out to the family for their loss, and the trauma caused by both the incident and its reporting.
We were just talking about something like this happening with all the terrible drivers plus all the intoxicated and high drivers that are constantly driving around with little to no checks by the authorities, we notice so much of these and even reporting it there seems to be other priorities by law enforcement so it just adds to continued risk to the public.
This will not be the only one, with how it is right now I would be very careful when walking in Iqaluit as it’s still another day and night and there are still so many terrible and drunk or high drivers.
So many will drive to a bar have a lot of drinks and drive back, I don’t know why authorities do not see this or do more. Terrible.
I’m surprised you didn’t comment on the possibly drunk pedestrians as well.
There are common sense rules for all pedestrians that not many follow here in Nunavut. Wear bright clothing at night when it’s dark. Walk on the left of the road facing the traffic (moreso, when we have few sidewalks). Look both ways when crossing the street. Don’t drink and drive. Don’t drink and walk,
Iqaluit has never been very safe road wise, remember the child hit and killed several years ago, or any of the other deaths/serious injuries caused by poor drivers/road ways in recent years? The cities response was the addition of poorly made speed bumps with an upgrade to them years after city complaints.
Here we are after 25 years of being a capital city with no real major work done for the roadways and walkways to be safer for pedestrians. How many townsfolk are going to get hit before town council takes action? Spend the money, apply to every available federal grant for infrastructure, run a deficit if needed, but please upgrade our road and walk ways to try and avoid more unnecessary collisions or death on our roads