Early on July 8, two men from Cambridge Bay were medevaced following a brutal assault that has many in the community worried about drug problems and calling for urgent action.
Nathan Angulalik, 28, was flown to Edmonton on July 9 after the attack. His mother, Nancy Angulalik, says he was tied up, beaten, and scalded with boiling water by four alleged drug dealers. (Photo courtesy of Nancy Angulalik)
Around 2:30 a. m. on July 8, two men in their twenties were reportedly bound and beaten with tools like hammers, a shovel, and a wrench before being burned with boiling water. According to one victim’s mother, this was done by a group of four people involved in drug dealing.
Nancy Angulalik posted about the assault on Facebook the next day. She said her son Nathan was airlifted to Edmonton on Tuesday and is still hospitalized.
The other man hurt is Angus Kaosoni, also in his mid-twenties; he too was medevaced to an Edmonton hospital according to his grandfather David Kaosoni. David works as a mental health counselor and said both incidents-the assault and another earlier event where his car was vandalized and set ablaze-have deeply affected the family.
“I think what happened to my vehicle was in retaliation,” he explained, talking about a relative’s previous ties with local drug dealers.
Derek Elias, former mayor and volunteer firefighter, responded when the car fire happened on July 4.
“We always knew hard drugs were around here,” Elias said. “It was only a matter of time before something serious went down-and it did.”
Elias pointed out that poor security at Yellowknife airport makes it easy for drugs to get into northern communities unchecked.
“You can drive from anywhere in Canada to Yellowknife, catch a plane without any security screenings-it’s got to change,” he said.
Elias mentioned locals believe three suspects are hiding out in cabins nearby. He wants the RCMP to arrest them and “kick them out of town forever.”
“Then hopefully we can get some peace back here,” he added.
Kaosoni said people are hoping police will step up their support soon.
The family reported the fire but police told them there were “no threats,” Kaosoni shared.
“There are plenty of good folks here just waiting for some help.”
The same day as these assaults happened, someone posted online warning about an armed person in Cambridge Bay-which turned out false but caused businesses to close early and residents to stay inside.
The community’s reactions showed confusion since neither RCMP nor local officials made any official lockdown announcements after that post appeared.
The Cambridge Bay RCMP later confirmed there wasn’t any real threat or lockdown-they called the social media report fake news.
This kind of drug-related trouble isn’t new around Cambridge Bay either-in January police found 343 grams of crack cocaine at someone’s home on Ublogiahokyokyok Road and arrested a 23-year-old man who now faces charges.
Pamela Gross-Nunavut’s Deputy Premier and MLA for Cambridge Bay-said she understands why folks are concerned and has been reaching out to territorial and federal officials about safety issues here.
“Violent acts like this have no place anywhere in Nunavut-including Cambridge Bay,” Gross wrote in an email dated July 10 sent to Nunatsiaq News. “I’m really worried about what happened here and how it affects our community.”
Pamela Gross also invited acting RCMP Supt. Kent Pike over for a visit soon and is trying to arrange meetings so locals can talk directly with officials about these problems.
Elias thinks those steps should’ve come sooner though:
“Honestly? It’s kind of late now but at least it’s something,” he said. “Nobody should have waited until something awful like this forced everyone together.”
Sgt. George Henrie from RCMP told Cambridge Chronicle by email on July 9 that investigations are still underway but didn’t share more details yet.
