In a video posted to Facebook, Yellowknife mayoral candidate Jerald Sibbeston said he chased two intruders from his property in the middle of the night.
Sibbeston connected the apparent incident with his campaign to become the city’s next mayor, and urged people to stay away from both him and his home.
In text beneath the video, Sibbeston appeared to suggest he would shoot anyone intruding on his property in future.
“Yellowknife, it is just an election, not worth breaking into my home over,” he wrote.
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“I tore up my bare feet on blastrock chasing them off my property. That crossed so many lines. My gun is going to be ready next time. Consider yourself warned.”
Sibbeston later added the following comment: “The next unwanted guest had better kill me cause I will fire at them.
“If they kill me, they will have killed a political candidate, and son of a prominent person. Not going to be able to sweep that under the rug. Better make sure you end me.”
Sibbeston is the son of Nick Sibbeston, who was Premier of the Northwest Territories from 1985 to 1987 and the NWT’s senator from 1999 until 2017.
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The candidate told Cabin Radio he may ask RCMP for a patrol outside his home until the election is over. Election day is Monday, October 15.
‘Stay away’
Sibbeston posted the video to his campaign’s Facebook page at 9am on Friday. In the video itself, appearing shaken and without a shirt, Sibbeston identifies the time of filming as being 2am.
“I just was woken up by somebody on my property. I don’t know who you were, but stay off of my property. It’s not acceptable, Yellowknife,” he says.
“I had two individuals on my property this morning and I’m scared, a little bit.
“You’d feel weird, too, if somebody came into your house and you had to chase them out – because that’s what just happened.
“Yellowknife, it’s an election. Just stay off of my property. Stay away from me.”
May ask for patrol
While vandalism of candidates’ signs has become almost commonplace for Yellowknife election campaigns, an alleged home intrusion represents a significantly more serious development.
Asked by Cabin Radio if he had reported the incident to RCMP, Sibbeston said he had not, “but may still do so and ask for a patrol on my street until after the election. Can’t hurt to ask them.”
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In an email to Cabin Radio, Sibbeston said one person entered his home while another was on the property.
Sibbeston wrote he “was sound asleep and woke to me just about punching someone in the face when I saw them coming into my room.
“The only funny thing I noticed is the one that was in my house for sure was wearing black slacks at 2am. Who wears slacks at 2am? Not too many people,” he added.
“They were a pair of caucasian males. The one wearing slacks was a bit overweight and I would have caught him if I had been wearing shoes. They were wearing jackets and the chubby guy had a hat.”
Sibbeston continued: “I do not believe it was random. It seemed targeted. It seemed planned.”
Sibbeston is one of four candidates for mayor in Monday’s election, alongside Adrian Bell, Rebecca Alty, and Bob Stewart.
