Fort Simpson resident Dennis Nelner heard four gunshots go off one evening last September. The last one he felt.
SA国际影视传媒淚t felt like someone just smashed me on my thigh with a two-by-four,SA国际影视传媒� he said. When he stood up and took a few steps, the bullet fell out of the back of his right leg.
A GNWT Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) officer was called to respond to a nuisance bear in downtown Fort Simpson. One of the bullets he fired at the animal went through NelnerSA国际影视传媒檚 fence, through the wall of his home, ricocheted through his kitchen, and eventually hit his thigh.
Investigations by ENR and the found the officer SA国际影视传媒渢ook reasonable actions to stop an immediate threat,SA国际影视传媒� and cleared the officer and the department of any wrongdoing.
But Nelner told SA国际影视传媒 he believes officers should be better trained. He said he knows the officer wasn't there to try to hurt anyone, but he worries SA国际影视传媒渢his incident could happen again.SA国际影视传媒�
Nelner grew up hunting. He said he can't make sense of an ENR officer firing four shots in an inhabited area where children and Elders could be.
"If youSA国际影视传媒檙e going to dispatch an animal you go right up and do it, donSA国际影视传媒檛 pump him full of holes," he said. "We had firearms all the time in our household. There were gun racks on the wall, they were never locked up. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 the era we come from. A friend would sleep over on a Friday night and say weSA国际影视传媒檙e waking up Saturday to hunt.SA国际影视传媒�
Since the next generation didnSA国际影视传媒檛 grow up the same way, they donSA国际影视传媒檛 have the same comfort level with firearms, he said.
On top of more practice to solidify "muscle memorySA国际影视传媒� necessary when handling firearms, Nelner suggests former wildlife officers train up and comers.
SA国际影视传媒淎 lot of these guys are retired but theySA国际影视传媒檙e not in wheelchairs,SA国际影视传媒� Nelner said. He recalls a former officer in Fort Simpson who called himself the bear slayer. SA国际影视传媒淭hey are the guys you want to be training with.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 how traditional knowledge is passed on. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 why thereSA国际影视传媒檚 so much respect for elders, they know what theySA国际影视传媒檙e talking about it. TheySA国际影视传媒檝e seen it, theySA国际影视传媒檝e done it.SA国际影视传媒�
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No charges laid against ENR officer who accidentally shot Fort Simpson man
After a story on the shooting was published in the Aug. 31 issue of News/North, ENR Joslyn Oosenbrug wrote in an email that, "the way this incident unfolded was entirely unpredictable, unpreventable and unfortunate" but SA国际影视传媒渢o infer a connection between Mr. NelnerSA国际影视传媒檚 own experience using firearms and his knowledge of ENRSA国际影视传媒檚 training and firearms procedures, or the training and experience of the particular officer involved in the incident in question, is irresponsible and misleading."
On their current training practices, ENR spokesperson Darren Campbell explains that all ENR officers take part in annual proficiency testing and range courses, in addition to the federal-approved training course required to obtain a valid Firearm Possession and Acquisition Licence, which all ENR officers hold.
Campbell says the officer discharging the bear had also recently completed Wildlife Attack Response Team training, an internationally led training program for conservation officers that includes tactical response training.
