Take 'opportunity to change your life,' mother urges latest youth sentenced in Millennium Library death

Tania Cayer said her life is a "wreck" while she held up several photos of her late son in court Tuesday, urging a youth convicted of manslaughter in his death not to squander his future.

For the third time in months, Tania read a familiar and emotional victim impact statement directed at one of the four youths accused in the death of Tyree Cayer at Winnipeg's Millennium Library just over a year ago.

"I know locking you away forever is not the answer. In fact, my son probably forgave you already," Tania said to the 15-year-old boy, who stared down while slumped in his chair in the prisoner's box during his sentencing on Tuesday.

"Had you met him, he would've been your bro, he probably would've protected you, so I ask that you take this opportunity to change your life."

The teen was sentenced to three years for his role in the stabbing death of Cayer, 28, inside the downtown library on Dec. 11, 2022.

The attack closed the library for six weeks and resulted in the reintroduction of airport-style security measures that had previously been phased out.

Four youth, between the ages of 14 and 16 at the time of the killing, were charged in connection with the stabbing. Their identities are protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

A publication ban restricts sharing details of what transpired during the attack on Cayer until all four cases have run their course through the courts.

'Sorry for their loss'

Two of the four were previously sentenced in recent months — one for manslaughter and one for second-degree murder.

On Tuesday, the youngest of the four — 14 at the time of the attack — apologized to Cayer and his family.

"I am sorry for their loss. I didn't know someone was going to die that night.... I have to watch who I hang out with," he said in a presentence report read out in court at his Tuesday sentencing.

Provincial court Judge Samuel Raposo agreed with a joint recommendation from Crown attorney David Burland and defence lawyer Matthew Raffey, who asked that the boy receive the maximum youth sentence for manslaughter of three years.

They argued he was the least involved, had no prior record, and has been well-behaved and engaged in programming in custody. The recommendation said having served more than a year in custody already, he should serve the rest of his sentence in community.

He will do the remaining 18 months of his sentence supervised in the community with a range of conditions, said Raposo.

"While you are not the main aggressor ... you participated in a senseless, cowardly attack," said the judge. 

"I hope that you take Ms. Cayer's words of encouragement to heart and that you continue to access programming.… Put yourself on a positive path."

Cayer known as a helper

Burland characterized Cayer as a "vulnerable person," who struggled with school in his youth and experienced periods of homelessness and mental health issues in adulthood.

Tania also told the court about her son's athletic prowess growing up. He set high school football records while playing for the Elmwood Giants and went on to play in a junior league in B.C. before returning to Winnipeg after an injury.

He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in his early 20s and was greatly impacted by the death of his aunt in 2017, Tania said.

Throughout his life he was known as a "Robin Hood"-like helper who always wanted to look out for others, sometimes at the expense of his own safety, she said.

Tania told the 15-year-old that Tyree, who was of Métis-Jamaican heritage, was a "beautiful mixed blood, just like you."

Court heard the 15-year-old, who is of Ethiopian and First Nations heritage, was exposed to domestic violence in the home involving his father.

Low risk to reoffend

Burland said "Tyree shouldn't have had to wonder if the youth outside the library were going to attack him and end his life."

He also pointed to mitigating factors surfaced in two presentence reports that he suggested could hold promise for rehabilitation, including that the teen has expressed remorse and that he wants to pursue a post-secondary education.

A forensic report found the 15-year-old was a low risk to reoffend as long as he keeps up with counselling and other programming required as conditions of his release. 

A Gladue report showed he has First Nations family who were survivors of the Sixties Scoop and likely residential schools.

"The intergenerational trauma is clear," said Burland.

Raffey said the reports described the 15-year-old as "exceptionally well-behaved in custody" and that he completed three high school courses while detained.

"He was shocked that his co-accused stabbed the victim," Raffey said. "He wishes that he could've done something to stop [them] from doing that. He tells me it's his fault that he is where he is today."

The fourth youth, who has pleaded guilty to manslaughter, is expected to be sentenced in January.