Happy Valley-Goose Bay mayor John Hickey has died.
Hickey succumbed to injuries related to a self-inflicted accidental gunshot wound sustained while checking his traps alone last week.
How the gun went off is unclear but he managed to make his way to the road and get help. He was brought to the Labrador Health Centre and was listed in critical but stable condition and was later transported to the Health Sciences Centre in St. John’s where he died Thursday night.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Mayor Hickey’s family at this very difficult time,” says Deputy Mayor Wally Andersen in a release.
“This is a sad time for our community, and we urge all residents to respect the privacy of Mr. Hickey’s family and to remember them in their thoughts and prayers.”
Premier Dwight Ball posted on Facebook that Hickey was known as a fighter an politics and always fought for Labrador.
"We will miss him," the premier wrote.
Hickey was a member of the House of Assembly from 2003 to 2011 and became mayor of Happy Valley-Goose Bay last fall.
