Teen accused of killing friend with sawed-off gun set free

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This article was published 16/08/2023 (801 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A teenage boy accused of unintentionally killing his friend with a sawed-off shotgun was granted bail on Tuesday, despite the Crown attorney arguing he should be kept behind bars.

The 16-year-old, whose name cannot be published under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, was charged with manslaughter and seven firearms offences on Aug. 8, in connection to the fatal shooting on Aug. 5.

He was released Tuesday following a 90-minute hearing at the Manitoba Youth Centre in front of provincial court Judge Cynthia Devine.

Prosecutor Jacqueline Briard opposed his release, while defence lawyer Ryan Amy argued he should be granted bail.

Devine imposed conditions on bail, including that he live at his parents’ home, possess no weapons, attend school full time, not use social media and comply with curfew checks from provincial youth corrections.

Details of the hearing, including the Crown’s case, the two lawyers’ arguments and the judge’s reasons for her decision, cannot be published due to a publication ban, which was requested by both the Crown and defence.

The teen, who had been held at the youth centre since his arrest, sat quietly in the prisoner’s box in the cramped courtroom. His parents sat in the gallery and listened intently. At times, they were visibly upset.

Winnipeg Police Service patrol and tactical officers who responded to the shooting at a home in the Jefferson neighbourhood, at about 8:15 p.m., found the teen dead, police have said.

A group of teenage friends, including the accused, were socializing and had the sawed-off shotgun out.

Police allege the accused pointed the gun at the three other youth and the shotgun went off, killing the 15-year-old.

The name of the teen, who is Winnipeg’s 21st homicide of the year, wasn’t released by police.

Police spokeswoman Const. Dani McKinnon has said investigators don’t believe the teen intentionally fired the gun.

She also said the shooting is an alarming indication of an increase in gun crime involving minors.

“We don’t know what the intention of the gun being there was. We don’t know why he had it in his possession. But the fact it was being brandished or possibly passed around and pointed at other people is extremely troubling and dangerous,” McKinnon said last week.

Police are investigating how the teens got the firearm, which was illegally modified.

The accused is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 12.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca