Woman charged with attempted murder is denied bail

A woman accused of taking part in the shooting of an 18-year-old man in Yellowknife on May 1 was denied bail on Tuesday.

Hilah Rose McCauley, 19, who has lived in Norman Wells and Tulita, showed no emotion as Justice of the Peace Adelle Guigon ruled against her application to be released until her charge of attempted murder with a restricted weapon is heard in court.

McCauley also must answer to two counts of operating a motor vehicle while impaired, one in Norman Wells in June 2021 and the other in Yellowknife in February this year.

RCMP are seeking other suspects in connection with the incident. Police did not say what role McCauley played in the shooting — the man was shot multiple times — nor who had the gun. They did also not say what connection McCauley had with the man, if any, and did not clarify who lived in the apartment where the man was found.

A publication ban prevents the reporting of any information presented by the Crown prosecutor or defence lawyer and the reasons for which Guigon denied bail. Many details about the shooting, at a public housing building on 53 Street in downtown Yellowknife, have yet to be publicly clarified.

The bail hearing process was unusual in that it took place in four afternoons over five days.

At each of the hearings — some lasting several hours — up to seven supporters of the accused sat in the rear row in the public gallery.

The 18-year-old victim of the shooting was taken to an Edmonton hospital in stable condition after he was found at the apartment block. How many times he had been shot and the injuries he had are not known.

Police didn’t release a suspected motive for the shooting, but did state “it is believed the parties involved in this incident are known to each other,” adding there was no risk to the public.

Following the Sunday night shooting, RCMP issued a warrant for McCauley’s arrest and asked the public for help finding her.

At 2:30pm on Friday, police said McCauley was in custody. Photos of additional suspects were subsequently circulated.

A second person — a youth — has been charged but remains at large.

McCauley was being held in one of the few cells reserved for women at Yellowknife’s North Slave Correctional Complex. She will now likely be transported to the women’s jail at the Fort Smith Correctional Complex.

She was ordered to have no communication with a list of five people

McCauley can attempt to appeal Guigon’s decision in NWT Supreme Court. Barring that, her next court appearance will be via video link in NWT Territorial Court on May 31.

Anyone with information about the shooting — including the identities and location of outstanding suspects — is asked by police to contact Yellowknife RCMP at (867) 669-1111 or leave a tip anonymously online.