Advertisement

Don Dunphy wasn't violent, just outspoken: injured workers advocate

Don Dunphy, the man shot dead on Sunday at his home in the eastern Newfoundland community of Mitchells Brook, never exhibited violent tendencies but was deeply concerned about the welfare of injured workers, an advocate said Tuesday.

Dunphy was shot dead by a member of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary who was also on the premier's security detail, after the officer arrived at Dunphy's home to investigate a perceived threat made on Twitter.

The RCMP said Tuesday afternoon that Dunphy was shot after he aimed a loaded long gun at the RNC officer.

Trish Dodd, with the Newfoundland and Labrador Injured Workers Association, said she never knew Dunphy to be a violent man, and was shocked when she learned he's alleged to have pulled a gun on a police officer.

Dodd made her comments to CBC News early Tuesday afternoon before the RCMP said Dunphy aimed a loaded rifle at a police officer.

"I certainly didn't know him to be a man that had any intention [of violence]. We never discussed it," said Dodd.

According to Dodd, she's heard from other injured workers who said they had thought of turning to violence as a result of how they were treated by government or other organizations, but never heard that from Dunphy.

Known to government as advocate

The perceived threat against Premier Paul Davis was the last in a series of tweets Dunphy sent to Davis and MHA Sandy Collins on Friday.

Dodd said when reading the thread from first to last, she doesn't understand how the overall message could be perceived as a threat against anyone.

"He seemed to be a great person when it came to social justice issues and he believed that people should be better treated, and when I read that tweet that's what I saw right away," she said.

"That's what he was talking about it that tweet. I couldn't understand how it could be perceived as something else."

Davis, who said he was not told about the exchange, said Monday that a member of the premier's office alerted the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary to Dunphy's message.

According to Dodd, Dunphy regularly tried to engage government officials in discussions about how to change the programs available to injured workers after he was left unable to work following a serious injury.

'Wanted to look after his family'

She added one aspect people unfamiliar with long term workplace injuries can't seem to understand is the affect it has on people's mental health.

Dunphy was depressed as a result of being unable to work, she said, but to her knowledge there weren't any pre-existing mental health problems.

"He was more outgoing when he was getting up every day and going to work, so the depression from what I knew of Don it came from being injured," said Dodd.

"Even family members and friends get tired of it because your life does become consumed with it, because the fact that you can no longer do what society expects you to be doing: you should be at work, and he was a man who wanted to be at work. He wanted to look after his family."

Dodd said the focus of the RCMP investigation into Dunphy's death will focus on the perceived threat and shooting itself, but she doubts anything will change for injured workers in this province.

"It's unfortunate, but I don't think much is going to come out of. I don't think that it really will make a difference."