A teen who carried out a deadly shooting in La Loche two years ago is expected to learn his sentence Friday in the community where it happened.
Judge Janet McIvor is expected to deliver her decision in La Loche Circuit Point Court, which is about one kilometre away from the school where the teen opened fire.
She will decide whether the teen — who killed four and injured seven others — should be sentenced as an adult. The teen pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder and seven counts of attempted murder.
He was about two weeks away from his 18th birthday at the time of the shooting and can’t be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. He’s now 20 years old and the publican ban would likely be lifted if he’s sentenced as an adult.
On Jan. 22, 2016, the teen shot and killed brothers Dayne, 17, and Drayden, 13, Fontaine in a home in La Loche. Dayne was shot 11 times after pleading for his life, according to an agreed statement of facts. The shooter later expressed remorse for killing the brothers, saying it wasn’t part of the plan, but going to the school and opening fire was.
While driving a truck to La Loche Community School, the shooter posted in a Facebook group chat, writing, “just killed 2 ppl” and “bout to shoot ip (sic) the school.”
Inside, he opened fire and killed teacher Adam Wood, 35, at close range and teacher’s aide Marie Janvier, 21 and injured seven others.
RCMP officers arrested the teen after he exited a school washroom unarmed, announcing he was the shooter. He entered the school at 1:04 p.m. and was arrested at 1:16 p.m., according to the agreed facts.
Lawyers submitted closing arguments in the case in October in Meadow Lake Provincial Court. Crown prosecutor Pouria Tabrizi-Reardigan told court the seriousness of the offence and the circumstances surrounding it justifies an adult sentence. He argued the teen planned the shooting because he mentioned a school shooting to a friend five months prior, he researched guns, ammunition and what it would feel like to kill someone.
Tabrizi-Reardigan said for the public's safety the teen should receive an adult sentence.
"It would be wreckless to assume that (rehabilitation) could be accomplished within the time limit of a youth sentence," he told court during his closing statement.
He also pointed to evidence that showed the teen understood the consequences of his actions — he eventually gave himself up to RCMP after the shooting because he knew he was outnumbered and was aware of the power of the officers' guns.
Tabrizi-Reardigan argued, even with the teen's mental health disorders, cognitive and intellect issues, he should still receive an adult sentence because those issues don't have a direct link to the crimes. He told court the teen has never expressed genuine remorse about his plan to carry out the school shooting.
The teen's lawyer Aaron Fox said the seriousness of the offence does not mean the teen should receive an adult sentence. He painted the picture of a "lost soul" and "black sheep of the family," arguing that the teen lacks the intellect and cognitive function to have the maturity level of an adult.
He said while the teen reported he wasn't bullied at school, others said he was teased, looked sad and depressed and was a quiet person. He hated school, was repeating Grade 10 for the third time and had feelings of hopelessness.
"His expectation was that he was going to die (after the shooting). That’s what was going on in his world," Fox told court.
He added that the teen had no previous brushes with the law and has fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. He argued the shooter's low cognitive function, frustration with school and other factors of his life eventually led to the school shooting, but that there still is no clear motive to why he carried out the attack.
"It’s unfortunate that that hasn’t happened," Fox said. He reiterated the shooter has pleaded guilty and accepts full responsibility for the crimes.
Several victim impact statements were read during the hearing in May and many asked the judge to impose an adult sentence. The shooter addressed the victims and apologized to some specifically.
"You were not a target and I'm sorry I ruined your life. I hope you get better,” he said.
If sentenced as a youth, the teen could receive a maximum sentence of ten years —six of which would be spent in custody, while the other four under supervision. If he's sentenced as an adult, he'd receive a term of life in prison with no parole eligibility for ten years.
The sentence will come two years, one month and one day after the shootings. The mayor of La Loche told reporters in October the timing is concerning. Robert St. Pierre said there will be mixed feelings in the community regardless the decision, but that he's hoping for an adult sentence based on the magnitude of the devastation that's been brought to the community.
"It's going to dredge up a lot of memories," Robert St. Pierre said. "I think it's an opportunity for the community to come to terms with their reality and the situation and to maybe have some closure," he said.
