Murder trial hears mom's 911 call

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A makeshift memorial took shape on Martin Avenue West after two teens were shot dead at an Elmwood house party in 2009. (BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ARCHIVES) Photo Store

It began with an open invitation on Facebook to attend a Winnipeg house party. It ended with a hail of gunfire, a mother's hysterical call to 911 and the deaths of two young men.

"There's been a shooting. My son is dying. You gotta help," Crystal Irvine screamed into the phone in a heartbreaking recording played Monday in court. "I've got two 18-year-old kids dying. You need to hurry."

Police and paramedics quickly arrived at her Elmwood home, but it was too late. Her son, Tyler Hawula, and his friend Matthew Reynolds suffered fatal injuries. Kyle St. Germaine, 17, sustained injuries to his forearm and shoulder.

Two young party crashers accused of being involved in the December 2009 ambush have started their month-long trial by pleading not guilty to first-degree murder and attempted murder. Their names can't be published under the Youth Criminal Justice Act because they were 16 and 17 at the time.

Crown attorney Lisa Carson began the trial Monday by outlining the allegations against the pair, who are linked to the M.O.B. street gang. She also gave Queen's Bench Justice Perry Schulman a sense of the chaotic aftermath by playing several 911 calls made seconds after gunmen fled the scene. Several family members of the two victims left the courtroom in tears Monday as the audio clips were played.

"They just came in and shot two people," Irvine is heard telling the operator, the panic obvious in her voice. The dispatcher repeatedly tries to calm her down during the five-minute call, assuring her help is on the way. Several other people can be heard in the background, crying and yelling. There were 20 to 30 people in the duplex at the time of the shooting.

"My son is bleeding to death," Irvine continues to shout. "You need to hurry because he's losing so much blood."

Paige Olson, Tyler Hawula's girlfriend, also called 911, from another part of the house. She is heard repeatedly yelling, "Matt's gone, Matt's gone" at the operator after Reynolds seemingly died in front of them before police could arrive.

The night started on a much happier note. Carson said Hawula and a small group of friends had planned to host a party at his home on Martin Avenue West and advertised the event using Facebook. It was a "Black Light" theme, in which guests were encouraged to wear white and be illuminated.

But the invitation spread like wildfire through the social networking website, resulting in several unknown people showing up. That included the two accused and several of their gang-connected friends. Later on, the 17-year-old was kicked out by Hawula, Reynolds and another man because he was getting into arguments with other guests and frightening people by flashing weapons, court was told.

The youth left -- his friends, including the 16-year-old, had previously departed -- and that's when, the Crown alleged, a plot was hatched to return to the home and seek revenge.

As he left, the 17-year-old told guests, "I can have this house shot up with one phone call," and "I'll blow this play to (expletive)," the Crown said.

The two defendants are accused of doing exactly that. They allegedly armed themselves with a stolen shotgun and stormed into the party, where the younger teen shot Hawula in the abdomen and Reynolds in the chest.

St. Germain was shot seconds later, and the gun was pointed at a fourth man but they had run out of ammunition, court was told.

"They were saying 'You wanna (expletive) with M.O.B.,' " Carson said in her opening statement.

Two friends allegedly were waiting outside the home when the shooting occurred. At least one of them is now expected to testify for the Crown. A youth remains before the courts on first-degree murder charges, while adult co-accused Cody Delorme has pleaded guilty to reduced charges of manslaughter and was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

The accused allegedly fled on foot but were arrested in the area later that night, thanks partly to an off-duty police officer who lived in the area and called 911 when she saw them running.

Police located the suspected murder weapon in a bush and say it was stolen out of a pickup truck in Gladstone earlier that year.

The Crown will also rely on forensic evidence, including footprint impressions and video surveillance footage. A cabbie who allegedly drove the accused to the scene is also expected to testify.

www.mikeoncrime.com

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition September 11, 2012 0