Taser ineffective before fatal shot - SiRT

Indigenous deaths at hands of police rooted in systemic racism, say Wolastoqey chiefs

The agency that investigates deaths and injuries at the hands of police says Mounties deployed a Taser at an indigenous man alleged to have a weapon before an officer opened fire, killing him.

The Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) - a watchdog policing agency that deals with deaths and injuries that occur in situations involving police in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick - issued a news release Sunday announcing it had assumed responsibility of an investigation into a death stemming from at Neqotkuk (Tobique) First Nation.

Bronson Paul (Photo: Facebook)

It initially reported a man had died in “a police-involved shooting” in the indigenous community about 80 kilometres north of Woodstock.

In its own news release Monday, the RCMP offered other preliminary details.

“On Jan.18, 2026, at approximately 5:06 p.m., members from the Perth Andover RCMP detachment responded to a report of a domestic dispute at a residence on Main Street on Neqotkuk First Nation,” it said.

“As the situation quickly evolved, a man armed with an edged weapon advanced towards members.”

Similarly, it reported a Taser was used but proved ineffective, and a Mountie then discharged a firearm.

Family members and Tobique First Nation band council have identified the deceased man as Bronson Paul.

SiRT issued a followup release Monday afternoon, offering additional details.

It said the investigation is ongoing and that details are still being gathered. However, SiRT revealed some initial details from its investigation.

“Members of the RCMP were called to a residence regarding a domestic disturbance. Officers located an adult male in the house who was in possession of a weapon,” the Monday release stated.

“Details around the evening are still being collected, but SiRT can confirm a conductive energy weapon (Taser) was deployed but was ineffective. Then another officer fired their service weapon striking the male.”

It said life-saving measures were administered, and the man who was shot was taken to hospital only to be later pronounced deceased.

“Bronson was a son, father, brother, partner, nephew and so much more,” Neqotkuk Chief Ross Perley and the band council said in a statement issued Sunday.

“Currently, we are still determining the circumstances of what unfolded. We know that there was a call to 911. There was no request for assistance from the police to our tribal security members, council or outreach team.”

It noted such contacts have helped to de-escalate such scenarios in the past.

“We are unsure why lethal force was used in this case; however, Bronson is another indigenous man who was killed in the hands of the police, along with Rodney Levi, Chantel Moore and Steven (Iggy) Dedam,” the band council wrote.

“Therefore, chief and council are immediately closing our RCMP detachment in Neqotkuk until we know that it is safe for our community members.”

It said people on the First Nation can still call 911 in emergencies, but police will have to be accompanied in the community by a Kinap security escort.

“Members of the SiRT team have spoken with Chief Perley and are committed to providing a thorough and transparent investigation,” the watchdog agency said in its release Monday.

Moore died in Edmondston in June 2020, Levi in Red Bank later that same month, and Dedam at Elsipogtog First Nation in September 2024, all in encounters with police.

“Since 2020, four Indigenous people have been killed by police in New Brunswick,” the six Chiefs of the Wolastoqey Nation wrote in a public statement Monday.

“Our communities are grieving and outraged after tragic and heartbreaking losses. We grieve the lives lost and hold the families, especially the children, close in our hearts.”

They said it’s clear that these deaths stem from systemic racism that results in the disproportionate and unnecessary deaths of indigenous people.

“We, again, assert that investigations into incidents involving Indigenous people, must include indigenous representation on the Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) and transparency in the process. We demand that the SiRT implement these fundamental acts of reconciliation,” the Wolastoqey chiefs said.

“The RCMP, local police forces, politicians and governments, and justice systems must be actively anti-racist and acknowledge that these repeated instances erode the dwindling trust our people have in justice institutions.”

The chiefs renewed their call for community-based policing in Wolastoqey communities.

The Neqotkuk First Nation announced Sunday a sacred fire had been lit at the Paul Pyres Community Hall for those who wished to pray to talk to someone.

It said cultural peer support was available to all community members for crisis intervention.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at ftonindependent@gmail.com.