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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Reserve puzzled by RCMP shooting

By: Kevin Rollason

Posted: 03/16/2011 1:00 AM

KEN GIGLIOTTI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Enlarge Image

Chief Peter Watt, Leona Trout.

GODS LAKE NARROWS -- Community members say Paul Duck, a non-violent carpenter and grandfather, was the last person they would expect to be gunned down by police.

Duck's sister-in-law, Leona Trout, said on Tuesday Duck, who was in his late 40s, was a peaceful man who helped build many things in his home community.

He had four children of his own, one of whom was adopted, and five grandchildren.

Trout said her family -- as well as the chief and band council -- are angry at police because they took Duck's body.

"The RCMP were supposed to notify the leadership, the chief and council, and the family when his remains would be shipped out. They failed to do so. This is very devastating."

Chief Peter Watt said he still doesn't have all the facts but he said it appears it was a tragic coincidence the killing at about 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday was close to the scene of a fire that killed a man and two young children.

Duck's house is down a long driveway within view of the burned house across the street. Watt said he was told two groups of young people were fighting each other and RCMP responded.

"Somehow (Duck) got involved," Watt said. "What I know of him personally is he is not the type to get violent."

Community members, who asked not to be named, said it appeared two gangs of youth were fighting and breaking windows when Duck came outside and tried to break up the ruckus by shooting his firearm into the air and following the youth beside the road in front of the charred house.

RCMP, who were guarding the site of the gutted house because the cause is still under investigation, spotted Duck carrying a weapon and shot him in the chest, said community members.

Meanwhile, Watt said he is also disappointed RCMP moved the body out of the community and issued a press release about the shooting without talking first to himself or the family.

"To me that is not working together."

A decision to call in Saskatoon police to investigate the shooting is due to a recent change in RCMP policy.

It's the first police-involved shooting in Manitoba where an outside agency has been called in immediately to investigate what happened.

RCMP spokeswoman Sgt. Line Karpish said the decision is mandatory under a February 2010 change to the force's National Operational Policy. That change was the result of a Public Complaints Commission Against the RCMP national review.

-- with files from Alexandra Paul

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition March 16, 2011 A3

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