Fort Simpson man accidentally shot by wildlife officer in 2019 reaches settlement with gov't

A Fort Simpson man who was accidentally shot by an N.W.T. wildlife officer in 2019 has recently settled with the territorial government and is now calling for changes to how the territory trains its wildlife officers.

Dennis Nelner was hit in the thigh by a bullet intended for a bear that had wandered into his neighbourhood. No charges were ever laid in the incident, but Nelner says it could have been avoided if the N.W.T. had better training for wildlife officers.

Nelner was inside his home when the officer fired shots at the bear. One of the bullets went through his wall, striking him and causing severe injuries that have left him with chronic pain and long-term physical and emotional injuries and bouts of PTSD, he says.

Nelner settled with the territorial government on Sept. 23 over the shooting but says the process felt impersonal and failed to address the deeper issues.

"You have two parties that are this far apart, and the judge finds a medium ground, but it's just based on income," he said. "These damages don't amount to anywhere near what you think they should be and deserve." 

He wouldn't say how much money he received, but he describes it as a "clinical, numbers-driven" negotiation that failed to address his personal suffering. Nelner said he doesn't believe the territorial government fully understands the lasting impact on his life.

Adding to his frustration, Nelner says he never received a formal apology from the territorial government or the Department of Environment and Climate Change. Despite being the victim in the situation, he feels he was treated more like a villain.

"This just goes to reinforce the issue," Nelner said. "The lack of remorse, the lack of regret. There's no formal apology, there's nothing."

The Department of Environment and Climate Change said they will not comment on the settlement reached with Nelner.

However, they said the department has completed a review of its firearms program, including operating procedures, training and equipment. They're working on implementing recommendations that stemmed from that, which includes increased training for firearms instructors and officers.

Nelner hopes his experience serves as a wake-up call for the territorial government. He says public safety is at risk as long as officers aren't trained and certified to standards offered in the rest of western Canada.

"I'm the one that took the bullet this time. But you know, it could have been my daughter, my son, my wife, our pet," he said. "It could have been far worse."