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Tragedy strikes Pond Inlet

A man reportedly killed himself after an hours-long stand-off with RCMP in Pond Inlet.

The March 7 incident began just after 4 p.m., when Pond Inlet RCMP investigated a weapons complaint involving a man within a residence, according to a news release.

"While departing the scene, a single gunshot struck their vehicle. Investigators later contained the residence while awaiting additional resources. Residents in the area were requested to shelter in place and advised to stay away from the area until the incident was resolved," state the police.

The regional critical incident team, including negotiators, was dispatched from Iqaluit, as was the containment team to support officers on site.

"RCMP crisis negotiators made contact with the suspect and a number of other family members who were also in the residence. An extensive effort was made throughout the evening and into the early morning hours to de-escalate the situation and convince the suspect to peacefully surrender," police stated.

The next morning, a second critical incident team arrived from Edmonton and continued negotiations.

"That effort continued for several hours this morning (March 8) when numerous gunshots were allegedly fired from within the residence and directed outward towards the exterior and into the community," say police.

The man was found deceased a short while later, and is believed to have taken his own life.

Police say an independent investigation is now being conducted by members of the Calgary Police Service to ensure transparency, as per procedure.