La Loche, Sask., shooting: Crown applies for teen to be sentenced as adult, if convicted
17-year-old charged with 4 counts of 1st-degree murder, 7 counts of attempted murder
The Crown says it will apply to have a 17-year-old suspect sentenced as an adult, if convicted, in the January shooting deaths of four people in La Loche, Sask.
The teen appeared by video link in Saskatchewan provincial court today, in Meadow Lake, shortly after 1:30 p.m. CST.
He has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder and seven counts of attempted murder. He also faces one count of unauthorized possession of a firearm.
The judge ruled today that the publication bans in place now will continue.
Court was adjourned shortly after 2 p.m., with the next court date for the accused set for April 12 at 10 a.m. in La Loche provincial court.
The names of the four who were killed are:
- Marie Janvier, 21, a teacher's assistant.
- Adam Wood, 35, a teacher.
- Brothers Dayne and Drayden Fontaine, 17 and 13, respectively.
The brothers were found dead at a home and two staff were found dead at the La Loche Community School.
Today marks exactly one month since the shooting.
- La Loche, Sask., shooting leaves 4 dead, others wounded, RCMP say
- La Loche, Sask., shootings: Male, 17, charged with 4 counts of 1st-degree murder
During the teenager's first court appearance, the defence did not ask the judge for a psychiatric assessment. The courtroom was filled with about 40 people from La Loche, including the mother of the accused.
Since then, the youth has been in custody. His name can't be published under provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
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Seven other people who were wounded were taken to Saskatoon for further care. Four of them have since been released from Royal University Hospital.
The judge has banned identifying those who survived the shootings.
Students will return to La Loche Community School on Friday. Teachers will be back in the high school building today for meetings.
Meadow Lake is about 350 kilometres south of La Loche and about 290 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon.
Corrections
- An earlier version of this story said that the Crown prosecutor applied to have the 17-year-old teen accused in the shootings tried as an adult. In fact, the Crown applied to have him sentenced as an adult, if convicted.Feb 22, 2016 2:44 PM CT
With files from Devin Heroux