Barrie man sentenced as a youth for fatally shooting 17-year-old in 2021
Warning: Readers may find details in this article disturbing.
The fate of a Barrie man who pleaded guilty to fatally shooting a teenager has been decided after the Crown argued to have him sentenced as an adult despite his being under 18 at the time.
The court heard the man, who was 17 at the time, fired 16 shots, including eight in the victim's head and neck outside the teen's home on November 19, 2021, and ditched the gun at an abandoned water park. He and two others were arrested days later.
He pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in June 2023.
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During court proceedings, the Crown called his actions planned and deliberate, pushing for a maximum adult sentence of 25 years behind bars with parole eligibility after 10 years. The Crown highlighted how he purchased a gun months prior with the intent to kill the teen.
On Tuesday, Justice Stacey Nichols told the courtroom the Barrie man fired a large number of shots, ending the victim's life at his home with his father a short distance away.
Rather than sentencing him as an adult, the judge decided he would serve his time as a youth, noting he has taken significant steps while incarcerated and has embarked on a journey of growth.
The Barrie man, who has been in custody since his arrest, will spend six more years behind bars and cannot have any contact with the victim's family.
"This is a case (that) involved high school bullying, something that is getting more and more attention in our public schools across the province, and it's a situation that has led to a tragic, tragic ordeal, particularly for the family of the deceased, and this is a case that no matter what - even though I believe that Justice Nichols has made the right decision here - this is a case that's never going have a happy ending," said Robb MacDonald, defence lawyer.
Two others, Alexander Craggs and another young man, pleaded guilty for their roles in the shooting.
Craggs, who was 18 at the time, pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact to murder for driving the shooter and the other teen to the victim's home. He was sentenced to three and a half years behind bars, with credit for pre-trial custody. He was also issued a lifetime weapons ban.
The other teen, who was 17 at the time, pleaded guilty to manslaughter for luring the victim out of his home. He is scheduled to be sentenced later this year.
The identities of the victim and the two youths involved are safeguarded under the Youth Criminal Justice Act and cannot be published.
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