A 30-year-old Rankin Inlet man is facing three firearms charges after gunshots were reported near 68th Street on the morning of August 9, 2026. Nunavut RCMP say nobody was injured, and the man surrendered peacefully after about three hours of talks.
Brian Airut is charged with intentionally discharging a firearm recklessly, using a firearm without reasonable precaution, and storing a loaded firearm improperly.
Police were called around 8:30 a.m. after someone reported hearing a gunshot and seeing a man with a gun inside a home. Officers surrounded the residence and kept talking to Airut. At about 11:45 a.m., he came out on his own and was taken into custody.
Airut remains under arrest. His next court hearing is scheduled for August 17, 2026, in Iqaluit. The Nunavut Court of Justice handles all criminal cases for the territory.
This is the second firearms incident in Rankin Inlet this year. In May 2026, RCMP charged 43-year-old Jamesie Alariaq after a reported shooting on Tuungaaq Street.
Firearms are common in Nunavut for hunting, but the RCMP and the Government of Nunavut remind residents to store guns safely and offer free trigger locks at detachments.
