'You hit me!' Bullet meant for bear hits Fort Simpson man in thigh

A man from Fort Simpson, N.W.T., says a bullet meant to take down a problem black bear blasted through the wall of his home and into his thigh on Friday.

Dennis Nelner, 54, had just finished supper when he heard his dog barking outside, followed by several "close range" gun shots. Nelner lives off the village's main road, in a residential area.

The N.W.T. Department of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) says at around 7:30 p.m. on Friday, one of its officers responded to reports of a bear that had been hanging around the village for about a week.

Nelner called his dog inside. Seconds later he heard another shot.

"The wall exploded," said Nelner.

"I staggered back about three or four feet. All that happened like you know, snap of your fingers," he said, still in shock.

Nelner, who describes himself as more than 200 pounds, says he felt no pain — just adrenaline, then anger.

"I started yelling at the top of my lungs: 'stop shooting! You hit me!'" he said.

ENR confirmed an officer discharged his firearm responding to the bear's "aggressive" behaviour in the village.

Nelner said what happened next is a blur.

"I thought, Oh my God, what, they are reloading?" he said. He stumbled out the front door and that's when he noticed a bloody spot on his thigh. While walking, something fell out of his pant leg.

"It was a big mushroomed slug," said Nelner, referring to the bullet. "I was really angry they shot me — in my house!"

Nelner said an RCMP officer saw him and immediately started first aid. He was sent to Yellowknife, about 600 kilometres away, for treatment and discharged 12 hours later. Nelner says the bullet pierced his right thigh, nearly hitting the bone.

Nelner, who works for the territorial government's finance department, is now on crutches, and said he took Monday off work.

ENR declined CBC's request for an interview with the officer involved. In an emailed statement to CBC, the department said it cannot provide further details at this time as the incident is under investigation. It said public safety is always the "main priority" when dealing with problem wildlife.

"Our standard operating procedure dictates that lethal removal activities should be conducted away from the public where possible. However, in any incident where imminent threat to public health or safety exists, any appropriate and necessary action may be applied," the statement said.

I was really angry they shot me — in my house!- Dennis Nelner

The department says it's conducting its own investigation to determine whether the officer followed "appropriate policies and procedures."

A wildlife pathologist with the University of Calgary is arriving Monday to assist the department with the necropsy of the bear, which was eventually destroyed by RCMP.

RCMP confirmed that it is also investigating the incident.

'Surprising and shocking': mayor

"This idea that somebody got shot accidentally is quite surprising and shocking," said Fort Simpson Mayor Sean Whelly.

He says the community is used to coexisting with wildlife. It's not uncommon for wildlife officials to remove animals from the village or shoot them if they become a problem. 

This summer the town put up an electric fence around the landfill to prevent bears from getting into the garbage.

Whelly said this incident was a "pretty rare" event.

"I think this was an accident," he said. "It could happen, so we're going to have to be extra vigilant, maybe set up some new protocols between ENR and the RCMP as to how bears get dealt with in the community."

Nelner says he's lucky the bullet didn't hit an artery or anyone else.

"You know my baby could have been in there, my wife, my son. It sobers you up ... You think that you are safe inside your house, but that theory, you know, is blown out of the water."

Nelner said support, and some humour, has poured in on Facebook. There was one post he found particularly funny, which said ENR "got the wrong bear."