ST. JOHN’S, N.L. – An independent review supports the RCMP’s decision to lay no charges in the police shooting of a man killed in eastern Newfoundland by a member of the former premier’s security team, say the Mounties.
Don Dunphy, 59, was fatally shot in his home on Easter Sunday 2015 by a Royal Newfoundland Constabulary officer who was part of then-premier Paul Davis’s protective unit.
READ MORE: Newfoundland man shot dead during investigation into threat against premier
He went alone to Dunphy’s home in Mitchell’s Brook, about 80 kilometres southwest of St. John’s, to check out a perceived threat made on social media. The RCMP, which has jurisdiction in the area, reported the officer said he opened fire when Dunphy suddenly aimed a loaded .22-calibre rifle at him.
The RCMP concluded its investigation in January. It was then assessed by the civilian-led Alberta Serious Incident Response Team.
“They reviewed our investigation and went through every part of it and said that it was thorough, unbiased and did not lack objectivity,” RCMP Sgt. Pete McKay said Tuesday. “(It) was complete and followed best practices of major case management.”
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The Mounties did not publicly release the full report Tuesday or any recommendations, however. McKay said the force would only discuss the findings so as not to taint a public inquiry promised as the Liberals won power last fall from the previous Progressive Conservative government.
Justice Minister Andrew Parsons has said he would wait for results of the ASIRT review before announcing the inquiry.
McKay said ASIRT members met privately with the Dunphy family early Tuesday to go over those findings.
“We know it’s a very tragic incident for that family and we’re very sympathetic.”
McKay said as with witness statements or lab results, it’s appropriate to withhold the full report for now.
“If there’s an inquiry to be held, that’s the appropriate place for information to be unfolded.”
McKay acknowledged the Dunphy shooting has raised many questions that he hopes the review team’s findings will help resolve.
“They said we reached the proper conclusion.”
In a letter to the Justice Department, ASIRT executive director Susan Hughson notes her team found “some minor shortcomings,” in the RCMP probe, and had “some minor observations and recommendations regarding aspects of the investigation,” but none of them brought the overall probe into question.
Hughson also emphasized her team’s role as reviewer, not investigator.
“A review should not be construed as a second or separate investigation into the circumstances of the incident itself. ASIRT has not been asked to provide an opinion on whether the use of lethal force was appropriate in the case,” Hughson wrote.
Family, neighbours and friends in the tiny St. Mary’s Bay community have asked why an officer unknown to Dunphy would go alone to investigate perceived Twitter threats. They described Dunphy as a former heavy equipment operator who was severely injured on the job as a younger man.
The frequent Twitter user referred to himself as “a crucified injured worker from NL Canada where employers treat (the) injured like criminals.”
Dunphy had lived alone for years after the death of his wife in the tree-shrouded residence where he died. He was close to his daughter, Meghan, who has questioned the police investigation almost from the start.
READ MORE: Source: Premier of Newfoundland’s security staff at scene of fatal shooting
Former premier Davis, who spent most of his career as a member of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, confirmed after the shooting that his staff told police about potentially threatening tweets two days before Dunphy was shot. Davis said that, at the time, he was not aware of the Twitter posts until after the deadly confrontation.
Dunphy, who also aired his frustration with workers’ compensation programs on radio call-in shows, had commented on Davis’s official Twitter account and that of Sandy Collins, the former minister for child, youth and family services.
The posts referred to how God would get politicians who ignored and laughed at the poor – before they could collect pensions “they didn’t deserve.”
“I won’t mention names this time,” Dunphy posted, “2 prick dead MHAs might have good family members I may hurt.”
The content of the tweets sparked intense debate about whether they were even meant as a threat.
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