Man shot by police tweeted threats
• Newfoundland and Labrador’s premier says his staff told police about potentially threatening tweets Friday, two days before the man behind the Twitter account was shot dead by an officer on the premier’s security team.
Paul Davis said Monday he wasn’t aware of the online comments until he heard that Don Dunphy, 59, was fatally shot Sunday by an officer with the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary. But the premier’s staff knew and reported them to police, he said.
“I was shocked, deeply saddened yesterday to learn of the events that had taken place,” Mr. Davis said.
Mr. Davis, a former constable with the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, said he briefly spoke with the officer late Sunday. “I called to offer my personal support to him. I’ve known him for some time.”
Chief William Janes of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary said the officer was a member of the protective services unit who was working a regularly scheduled shift Sunday when he went to Mr. Dunphy’s home in Mitchells Brook, about 80 kilometres southwest of St. John’s, as part of an investigation.
“The officer was confronted and shots were fired,” he told a news conference. The officer was not identified. The RCMP is now investigating.
Mr. Dunphy was a frequent Twitter user who described himself as “a crucified injured worker from NL Canada where employers treat injured like criminals.”
Mr. Dunphy’s Twitter feed from Friday includes an exchange addressed to the premier and Sandy Collins, the provincial minister for child, youth and family services. It refers to God getting politicians who ignore and laugh at the poor before they can enjoy pensions “they didn’t deserve.”
It seems to culminate with the comment: “I won’t mention names this time, 2 prick dead MHAs might have good family members I may hurt.”
A woman who said she was Mr. Dunphy’s sister-in-law but asked she not be publicly named, said his wife was deceased and he had a grown daughter, but lived alone. She said Mr. Dunphy was injured years ago while working for a contractor. A friend said Mr. Dunphy fought to get payments through workers’ compensation claims.