The former New Brunswick Chief Firearms Officer says medical assessment requirements changed after the Desmond incident.
Derek Eardley was called to testify for the Desmond Fatality Inquiry in Guysborough Thursday.
Eardley said because they issued Lionel Desmond’s firearms licence, they investigated their process after Desmond killed his wife, daughter, mother, and himself in their Upper Big Tracadie home in January 2017.
He said a month later, in February 2017, they had replaced their in-house form with the more detailed national RCMP form.
When asked if the change to the more in-depth form was in response to the incident, Eardley said it was.
“After this particular incident, yes,” he said. “I can’t say for sure that it was 100 per cent, but it was certainly a driver of our change.”
Eardley said his office had been exploring possible amendments to, or replacements for their provincial form, but the Desmond incident added urgency to those discussions.
Testimony continues Monday.
