An RCMP investigation is underway to determine whether the gunshot wound that killed a 61-year-old Barriere woman was inflicted accidentally.

Until that point is made clear, police are in a position to say little more about the incident other than no arrests have been made, Sgt. Rob Vermeulen said Tuesday.

“We need to determine what happened,” he said.

The B.C. Ambulance Service requested Barriere RCMP’s help with an accidental shooting at about 3:40 p.m. Monday. The incident occurred at a residence on Barriere Lake Road near the fair grounds.

Paramedics took the victim by ambulance to the Barriere Health Centre, where she was pronounced dead by an attending physician, said Vermeulen. Her name hasn’t been released pending notification of next of kin.

The South East District Major Crime Unit, B.C. Coroners’ Service and forensic officers with Kamloops RCMP are investigating. Vermeulen said police and the coroners’ service investigate any death that occurs outside of hospital.

An autopsy was scheduled to take place Tuesday. Regional coroner Mark Coleman said he isn’t in a position to comment until police nail down the reasoning behind the shooting.

The shooting marked the second high-profile police incident in the North Thompson community in less than a week. Mayor Bill Humphreys said residents are handling the attention well and banding together.

RCMP engaged a 43-year-old man in a 29-hour standoff starting Saturday night after officers were dispatched to a domestic dispute. Police were able to coax the man out of his home with the help of one of his sons.

During the standoff, nearby residents were given the choice of staying in their homes or leaving and not coming back until it was over. Humphrey said several people were inconvenienced as a result, but few complained.

“Generally, we all feel that it was handled well,” he said.

As for the shooting, consensus around town is this is nothing more than a tragic accident, said Humphrey.

“I really do think it was one of those unfortunate things.”

Residents told The Daily News a man was cleaning his rifle when the gun went off and shot his wife in the leg. Leo Ireland, who lives on Barriere Lake Road, said police had the street blocked off late Monday afternoon but no one learned what had happened until after the fact.

Neil McLellan said people are taking the incidents in stride.

“It doesn’t mean anything,” said the long-term Barriere resident.