Ottawa Police Service clears RCMP officer who shot and killed Nunavut man

The Ottawa Police Service has cleared a Nunavut RCMP officer in the shooting death of a man last year.

Abraham Natanine, who was 31, was killed on May 5, when the Mountie responded to a call about a domestic disturbance in the community of Clyde River.

Ottawa police have a memorandum of understanding with Nunavut RCMP to investigate major incidents involving officers, and can lay criminal charges.

Investigators travelled to Clyde River on May 7 and interviewed 10 civilian witnesses and three police witnesses.

Nunavut RCMP says in a statement that it has received a copy of the report and supports its findings that no officer committed a criminal offence.

The Government of Nunavut’s justice department has also been notified of the investigation’s conclusion.

In a statement, Brian Sauvé, president of the National Police Federation, the union that represents the RCMP, said any loss of life “is tragic and an absolute last resort for our member officers.”

“That said, our members have a responsibility to uphold the law and to protect the public and themselves,” Sauvé said.  

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 9, 2021.

The Canadian Press