Weekend standoff in Iqaluit leads to several charges, including attempted murder

Iqaluit RCMP have charged two men with numerous offences after a three-hour standoff Saturday night wreaked havoc in the city.

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Jerry Issuqangituq, 25, is charged with four counts of attempted murder, four charges of illegal discharge of a weaponand one count of assault with a weapon.

Darrell Alooloo, 24, is charged with four counts of illegal discharge of a weapon and one charge of breach of an undertaking. The next court appearance related to this incident will be in Iqaluit on Jan. 2.

Police received a call on Saturday night about a man brandishing knives in a house in the 500-block area in Iqaluit.

After a family fled from the home, numerous shots were fired, damaging police vehicles and other property in the area.

The RCMP Critical Incident team was called in and the area was evacuated.

One of the shooters was injured in the incident, according to RCMP media relations officer Danielle Pollock, but members of the community and police remained safe.

The man was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Members of the Ottawa Police Service are in Iqaluit conducting an independent investigation into the incident.

RCMP issue 'call for action'

Saturday's standoff was the second in Iqaluit in one week.

On Wednesday, police evacuated a separate area of town for 12 hours while they dealt with a man barricaded in his home.

A man was arrested and three young children were taken to Child and Family Services after this incident was resolved.

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Alcohol played a factor in both standoffs.

On Sunday, RCMP issued a "call for action" urging Nunavummiut to secure all of their firearms and ammunition.

"Our resources cannot sustain this sort of continued behaviour," statedInsp. Mark Crowtherin the release. "It is both a danger to the community and in most instances irreparable to our members who are having to respond in extreme weather conditions and often in complete darkness."