Eighteen-year-old appears in court over Hay River shooting

An 18-year-old made a short appearance in a Yellowknife courtroom on Tuesday after being charged with the attempted murder of a man from Hay River.

The 21-year-old victim in that incident, who has not been named, was medevaced to Edmonton after receiving a single gunshot wound to the chest in a shooting late last week, RCMP said on Monday.

Gaige Forrest, from Yellowknife, appeared before a justice of the peace via video link from the city’s North Slave Correctional Complex.

Forrest is charged with attempted murder using a firearm and three other firearms offences in connection with the incident, which took place north of Hay River – off the Mackenzie Highway – on Friday, December 10.

He is also charged with assault with a weapon and two other firearms offences related to an incident in Fort Resolution on December 8.

Forrest was held in custody at the request of his lawyer, Jake Chadi, until Wednesday morning.

Crown prosecutor Trevor Johnson asked for an existing list of seven people whom Forrest must not contact to remain in force.

As the prosecutor was speaking, Forrest stated: “I’m not going to talk to anybody, trust me.”