Thank you for joining me here today. My name is Scott Sheppard and I am the Commanding Officer of the RCMP's "M" Division here in the Yukon.
I am here today to provide an update on Thursday's critical incident at Air North Cargo in Whitehorse, Yukon.
Given that this is an ongoing investigation with multiple agencies, including the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, please recognize that there will likely be questions that I am not in a position to answer.
On November 24, 2022, at 12:37 p.m. (Yukon time), Yukon RCMP received a 911 call reporting that a male with gun was in the area of the Air North Cargo Office. This building is located approximately 2 km south of the Whitehorse International Airport passenger terminal. There were multiple Air North employees present during this incident.
Multiple members from Whitehorse Detachment and the Yukon RCMP Police Dog Service responded immediately. The individual was engaged by police and at approximately 12:50 p.m., there was a police-involved shooting. No employees, members of the public, or the RCMP were seriously physically injured.
Police officers immediately provided lifesaving first aid to the suspect on-scene who was then transported to the hospital by EMS. He was pronounced deceased at approximately 13:30 p.m.
At the request of the family, we will not be releasing the name of the deceased individual at this time.
What we can tell you about the deceased male is that he was a resident of Alberta and in the past had worked in the Yukon. The RCMP has been working with police in both Alberta and Saskatchewan to establish timelines and more detailed information about him and his movements leading up to this incident.
The male worked with several employers in the Territory. Part of his employment was with Air North. We are currently investigating his activities in the Yukon. He had limited interaction with the RCMP.
With regards to the immediate events leading up to this tragic incident, I must bear in mind the multiple on-going investigations that are underway. This consideration limits what I can share with you at this time.
Prior to the arrival of the police, the male with the gun, which we have now determined to be a non-prohibited and non-restricted long gun, gained access to the secured Air North compound. The matter of access to this area has been referred to Transport Canada.
The individual, who was known to the employees, threatened them with the gun. An altercation occurred, during which time coworkers were able to call 911 who immediately dispatched police.
Approximately six minutes later police arrived. At approximately 12:50 p.m. a police involved shooting occurred.
Officers immediately began emergency first aid. This was done by two RCMP officers who are specially trained as emergency police medics.
Yukon EMS transported the male to the hospital where he was pronounced deceased.
Through the Yukon Coroner's office, an autopsy has scheduled for November 30, 2022 in Abbotsford, B.C.
As this incident ended shortly after it began, there is no further risk to the public.
At the time of this incident, Whitehorse International Airport management and security confirmed that their operations had not been impacted and that the airport remained open. As in any event involving a secured airside location, Transport Canada was notified of the event by RCMP.
As to what took place at Air North Cargo, all of our available resources will continue ensuring public safety as we follow up on this investigation. We continue to provide policing services to Whitehorse and throughout the Yukon. Outside of the forensic assistance provided to us from Alberta RCMP, we have taken steps to ensure that we are adequately resourced from within the Division.
As is standard practice for incidents that involve serious injury or death to any person, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team has been engaged by the Government of Yukon Department of Justice to investigate this police-involved shooting.
ASIRT arrived in Whitehorse Friday morning. Their mandate is to effectively, independently, and objectively investigate incidents involving police that have resulted in serious injury or death to any person as well as serious or sensitive allegations of police misconduct.
Yukon Victim Services were engaged to provide support to those directly affected by this incident, while Yukon RCMP employees are also being supported in their wellness.
Multiple scenes were forensically examined and have now been released.
The Yukon RCMP would like to acknowledge the exemplary cooperation of Air North as we continue our criminal investigation. The impact of this serious incident touches many people in this community-minded company across our small Territory.
This has been challenging year with the number of police-involved critical incidents in the Territory. The resulting impacts on the communities we serve are noticeable. I would like to thank the RCMP officers and employees from the Yukon including our dispatchers for their professionalism and dedication. I remain very proud to get to work with all of you.
I would like to also acknowledge the assistance we've received from other RCMP Divisions over the past year. Alberta RCMP's Forensic support during this latest incident has been appreciated.
The RCMP does not work alone. In addition to Transport Canada, I also extend my thanks to the continued close partnership of our Yukon Government partner agencies, including EMS, the Emergency Measures Office, and the Yukon Coroner's Service.
We ask that anyone with information about this incident call the Yukon Major Crime Unit at 867-667-5500.
Thank you for your time today.