Pond Inlet firearm ‘misuse’ took 3 young lives: Chief firearms officer

Improper gun storage was a factor in a recent incident in Pond Inlet that left three people dead, says Nunavut’s chief firearms officer, who is pointing to the incident as a reminder of the importance of gun safety.

“Unfortunately, we’re talking on the heels of an event that’s probably going to leave an impact not only on the family in Pond Inlet, but throughout the territory,” said Karen Mowatt, Nunavut’s chief firearms officer, in an interview Tuesday.

The “tremendous tragedy” that occurred earlier this month is still under investigation, but it involved “firearm misuse,” Mowatt said, adding it’s fair to assume the firearm involved was not properly stored.

She described the victims as young and said one firearm was involved but declined to speak further, citing the RCMP’s ongoing investigation.

Mowatt’s office doesn’t track firearms incidents, but there are currently 3,501 Nunavummiut who have a firearms licence — and all of those licensed likely have at least one gun, she said.

“Firearms are everyone’s responsibility,” Mowatt said, adding that her office’s central mandate is to promote the rules of safe firearms storage.

Often, she said, Nunavut RCMP officers find guns without trigger locks stored under beds or left in boats or snowmobiles.

A trigger lock is a small device that fits over a firearm trigger to prevent a gun being fired. RCMP offer free trigger locks at local detachments.

Nunavut chief firearms officer Karen Mowatt shows some model rifles used for firearms training. (Photo courtesy of Nunavut chief firearms office)

Mowatt acknowledged the need for firearms on hunting trips but said guns have to be safely stored once they are back in the community and not in use.

A safely stored firearm should be in a secure cabinet, container or room, Mowatt said. It should be unloaded and have a trigger or cable lock.

Ammunition should be stored separately, she said, because when bullets are not readily available, it gives people some time to “rethink their intentions” in case they are planning to do something dangerous.

Other than promoting safe usage and storage of firearms, Mowatt’s office is responsible for issuing licences, inspecting shooting ranges and investigating current licence holders in situations where there may be criminal charges or a mental health issue.

Mowatt, who is based in Winnipeg, has been the chief firearms officer for Manitoba and Nunavut for 16 years. She and representatives from her office make regular trips to the territory, but for the past two years they have been working to create a separate chief firearms office in Nunavut.

So far, the office has had difficulties securing housing for two vacancies in Iqaluit, and the new position would require additional funding from the federal Department of Public Safety.