Quebec's tight-knit north pulls together to support Inuit village in wake of slayings

There are no roads connecting neighbouring villages acrossQuebec's vast northern region,but after word spread of the tragic events that left four dead over the weekendin Akulivik,friends and relatives flew infrom all over.

Mususie Ainalik, father to one of the victims and uncle to two others, lives in a neighbouring town, but came to be with family.

"I came to give support, but instead they ended up supporting me,"saidAinalik, in an interview in Akulivik,about 1,700 kilometres from Montreal.

ByWednesday, many were returning home, includingAinalik.

It's been five days sincethe village of about 600 peopleawoke to find bodies in their street and on their doorsteps, and there are still no easy answers for why a gentle 19-year-old turned on his family with a knife.

The investigation by authorities from southern Quebec could take months, but everyone inAkulivikknows what happened.

Early Saturday, after a night of drinking, IllutakAnautak, 19, turned on his family with a knife, stabbing his aunt and her partner, his two cousins, and one of his uncles.

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His aunt and one of his cousins, a four-year-old, survived.But his uncleLucassieAnautak, his aunt's partner, EliQinuajuak, and 12-year-oldPutulikAnautak, all died.Anautak himself was shot dead by police.

"We received condolences and prayers from all over the world, which helps us a lot for healing," saidAkulivikregionalcouncillorEliAullaluk.

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The home where most of the violence took place is about a 10-minute walk from the municipal offices.

Neighbours say the 19-year-old entered his aunt's home Saturday morning, while the family was sleeping, and started stabbing.

On Wednesday, a large yellow dump truck sat parked in front of the home while neighbours emptied out garbage bags, a couch and a mattress.

A few metres down the street, two workers used a high-pressure hose to wash bloody footprints from the road.

Twelve-year-oldPutulikAnautukhad tried to run away, but he ended up collapsing on the pavement not far from his house.

For those who knewIllutakAnautuk, either in passing or as a close friend, the violence was completely out of character.

It's known thatAnautakhad a difficult childhood his mother was beaten and killed by her boyfriend, and his older brother killed himself.

But friends say ifAnautakwas struggling, he kept it hidden.

"He seemed like a normal young man," saysNialiAliqu, who remembersAnautukwhen he was a young boy in the village.

"All I can say is that he was a gentle young man to me. I don't know why he did that. I don't have the answers."

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