Person passes away at Yellowknife sobering centre

A person at Yellowknife’s downtown sobering centre passed away in the early hours of Friday morning, Cabin Radio understands.

An employee at the centre, on 50 Street, is believed to have found the person unresponsive. The individual has not been publicly identified.

Denise McKee, chief executive of the NWT Disabilities Council – which operates the centre – said she was not immediately able to provide more details as she entered the facility.

Two RCMP vehicles were parked outside the building on Friday morning.

In a short statement on Friday afternoon, police confirmed they were investigating “a sudden death in a building in downtown Yellowknife.”

RCMP initially did not specify which building and gave a rough street address of 51 Street and 51 Avenue, before later confirming they had meant the sobering centre at 50 Street.

RCMP said a 38-year-old man had passed away. Police had arrived at approximately 7:30am, the statement said.

Police said they were investigating with the assistance of the territory’s coroner service.

“I would like to express my condolences to the family of the individual who was found deceased at the sobering centre earlier today,” Julie Green, the NWT’s health minister, said on Twitter.

“Though little is known at this time, I want to assure the public that the GNWT will support the investigation to help find out what happened.”