News release

Springdale RCMP arrest and charge man after residents ordered to shelter in place

October 9, 2025 - Springdale, Newfoundland and Labrador
From: Newfoundland and Labrador RCMP

Content

RCMP Newfoundland and Labrador arrested 56-year-old Gerard Fowlow for assault and firearms related offences late Wednesday night, after a shelter in place order was issued for residents of South Brook.

Shortly after 4:00 p.m., on October 8, 2025, officers with Springdale and Grand Falls-Windsor RCMP responded to a disturbance in progress at a residence on Main Street in South Brook. Police received multiple reports of shots being fired and officers determined that the individual involved had retreated inside a home.

Front line officers contained the residence in consultation with the RCMP Newfoundland and Labrador Emergency Response Team (ERT), which was deployed to assist.

Out of an abundance of caution, at approximately 5:00 p.m. Wednesday evening, RCMP Newfoundland and Labrador ordered all residents in the South Brook area to shelter in place as frontline officers responded to the unfolding incident and investigated.

The shelter in place order was lifted at approximately 11:45 p.m., after the individual surrendered and was taken into police custody without further incident.

Fifty-six-year-old Gerard Fowlow was held in custody to appear before Grand Falls-Windsor Provincial Courts today (Thursday).

Fowlow is charged with:

• Assault with a weapon,
• Careless use of a firearm,
• Pointing a firearm,
• Discharging a firearm with intent,
• Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

No injuries were reported in this incident. The investigation continues, and additional charges are possible.

RCMP Newfoundland and Labrador thanks everyone in the affected communities for their cooperation with the shelter in place order.

A shelter in place allows police to protect the safety of the general public and ensures officers can effectively dedicate resources to the incident at hand.

Contacts