Charges dropped against attempted murder suspect in Barrie catwalk shooting
The charges against a woman accused of attempted murder and discharging a firearm in a Barrie catwalk shooting earlier this year have been withdrawn.
Meghan Steadman, 30, was noticeably emotional in court Friday morning, appearing virtually from jail at Central North Correctional Centre in Penetanguishene when she learned she would be released after the Crown announced the charges against her would be dropped.
Barrie police charged Steadman and three men in their 20s after the shooting of a 45-year-old man along a Letitia Heights catwalk on April 22.
The victim, who police said suffered several life-threatening gunshot wounds, is now recovering after being rushed to a Toronto hospital in critical condition.
According to court documents, the Crown withdrew the charges against Steadman's co-accused, Curtis Prince, in late June.
Prince and Steadman were granted bail in early May.
The 30-year-old woman was later arrested in Collingwood for allegedly breaching her release conditions. She is scheduled to appear in court next month to answer to those allegations.
Curtis Prince and Meghan Steadman were released Friday, May 5, 2023 with sureties after spending two weeks behind bars for attempted murder in a Barrie shooting. (Mike Arsalides/CTV News)
Meanwhile, two other men, Jayson Espinosa-Bermeo and Timothy White, face several charges in connection to the shooting.
Espinosa-Bermeo was released from custody and has been out on bail since his arrest. He is scheduled to return to court for preliminary hearing proceedings next year.
White, 21, who was arrested weeks after the shooting in Hamilton, remains behind bars.
White, who police say also goes by the name Logan, faces attempted murder, discharging a firearm, aggravated assault, and unauthorized possession of a firearm, along with other weapons-related offences.
His next court appearance is scheduled for early next month.
The allegations against the accused have not been tested in court.
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