New Brunswick

Accused Fredericton shooter ordered to undergo another psychiatric assessment

The man accused of shooting and killing two Fredericton police officers and two civilians last August has been ordered to undergo another psychiatric assessment.

Crown requested assessment of Matthew Raymond based on his utterances and submissions about his behaviour

Matthew Vincent Raymond, pictured on Feb. 8, is charged with four counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Fredericton police constables Sara Burns and Robb Costello and civilians Donnie Robichaud and Bobbie Lee Wright. (Andrew Vaughan/Canadian Press)

The man accused of shooting and killing two Fredericton police officers and two civilians last August has been ordered to undergo another psychiatric assessment.

Matthew Vincent Raymond, who is facing four counts of first-degree murder, appeared in Fredericton Court of Queen's Bench on Friday afternoon.

The Crown requested the assessment based on utterances Raymond has made and written submissions about his behaviour, the court heard.

Justice Fred Ferguson agreed. Dr. Scott Wood of Toronto, who previously examined Raymond, will conduct the assessment Sept. 3-6.

Ferguson said assessments to determine fitness to stand trial are "not a once and for all" and can be done and redone.

The judge noted a jury will make the ultimate determination of whether Raymond, 49, is fit to stand trial.

Raymond's jury trial is scheduled to begin on Sept. 30.

He is charged in the Aug. 10 deaths of Fredericton police constables Robb Costello, 45, and Sara Burns, 43, and civilians Donnie Robichaud, 42, and Bobbie Lee Wright, 32.

Police have said all four victims were hit by bullets from a long gun fired from the third-storey of an apartment building on Brookside Drive on the city's north side.

The trial is expected to last 38 days.

With files from Catherine Harrop