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Iqaluit active shooter standoff leads to man in custody

A second standoff in a just a few days resulted in a 25-year-old male being taken into custody after three hours in what police called an active shooter event.

The man now faces numerous firearm charges.

Police state they received a call about a man brandishing knives in a residence the night of Dec. 22.

"The family evacuated the home and the male took up arms. The 25-year-old male opened fire on police and vehicles passing by," according to the RCMP news release.

"The RCMP critical incident team was called and neighboring houses were evacuated. The active shooter damaged police and public property during the three-hour standoff in the 500 block in Iqaluit."

Iqaluit municipal enforcement officers, emergency and protective services, as well as victim services helped out during the emergency.

RCMP say alcohol was a contributing factor. Alcohol was also a contributing factor in the 12-hour standoff that began Dec. 19, which resulted in a 34-year-old Iqaluit man being charged with forcible confinement, assault, uttering threats, and violating court conditions.

"The RCMP would like to remind the public that alcohol and firearms don't mix! Please safely secure your firearms. Pick up your free trigger lock at any Nunavut RCMP detachment. This event was preventable."