Armed man in custody after firing gunshots in Fort Good Hope, says chief

The chief of Fort Good Hope N.W.T., says a man is in custody after gunshots were fired outside the community's band office Friday night during a community meeting.

"Some of our youth who were with that group were traumatized," said Chief Wilfred McNeely Jr. as he recounted hearing gunshots being fired outside the building around 7 p.m.

He said everyone at the meeting took cover while he went outside and found a shell from what he described as a high-powered rifle.

McNeely said an armed man had barricaded himself in an apartment in the community'selders' complex, yelling and threatening to take his own life. Local RCMP who he said surrounded the complex with their trucks convinced a man inside to give himself up just after 10 p.m.

McNeely recounted the ordeal as "terrifying," but said he was relieved everyone attending the community meeting was unharmed.

He said the group left the band office through a back door and made their way to the health centre, where they took refuge until the incident was over.

"Thank God no one was hurt. I'm just so glad it ended peacefully."

The RCMP was not able to comment on or confirm the incident.