News release

Charges laid after Yellowknife RCMP seize imitation firearm

February 13, 2026 - Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
From: Northwest Territories RCMP

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Two people were taken into custody after Yellowknife RCMP received a report of a person in possession of a handgun outside an apartment building on Thursday.

On February 12th, Yellowknife RCMP received a report that three suspects, one of whom was openly carrying a pistol and bear spray, were observed outside of an apartment building in the city.

Officers launched an investigation into the matter and quickly identified the involved suspects. The three suspects were located at a different apartment complex and arrested without incident, along with two other people that were later determined not to be involved in the original offence. An imitation pistol was recovered.

As a result, 39-year-old Dean McNeely of Yellowknife, who was already prohibited from possessing firearms, was charged with:

• Possession of a weapon contrary to a court order, contrary to section 117.01(1) of the Criminal Code
• Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, contrary to section 88(1) of the Criminal Code
• Carrying a concealed weapon, contrary to section 90(1) of the Criminal Code

He was held for a bail hearing and subsequently remanded into custody.

A 40-year-old Yellowknife male was released to appear in court on April 7th to answer to charges of:

• Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, contrary to section 88(1) of the Criminal Code
• Carrying a concealed weapon, contrary to section 90(1) of the Criminal Code
• Resisting arrest, contrary to section 129(a) of the Criminal Code

As these charges have yet to be formally sworn in court, the 40-year-old male cannot yet be named.

The other arrested parties were released without charge.

This matter is believed to be related to the illicit drug trade in Yellowknife.