Father of teen who shot Tyson MacDonald given $750 fine for unsafe storage of gun
Man, 61, also has 10-year weapons ban after pleading guilty in case tied to homicide
The father of an eastern P.E.I. teenager who pleaded guilty to killing Tyson MacDonald in 2023 has been handed a $750 fine and a 10-year weapons prohibition after pleading guilty to unsafe storage of a firearm in connection with the case.
The 61-year-old man, who can't be named in connection with the case in order to protect his son's identity, appeared in court in Georgetown on Thursday.
His son, who was 17 at the time of the crime, was sentenced in November to two years in custody for manslaughter and interfering with human remains in connection with MacDonald's death. His name is protected by Canada's Youth Criminal Justice Act.
MacDonald was also 17 when he was shot dead in the accused's home in December 2023.
According to an agreed statement of facts, the teen grabbed a loaded shotgun that was sitting near the door, pointed it at MacDonald and pulled the trigger, striking him in the left side of the face. The victim's body was found in Kings County after a six-day search.
The sentence issued Thursday was the result of a joint recommendation between the Crown and the defence. Two other counts of unsafe storage of a firearm and ammunition were stayed.
"This whole undertaking has been very hard on the community and also very hard on him and his family," defence lawyer Chris Montigny told the courtroom. "[This is] a sentence very appropriate in these circumstances."
'He should be doing time in custody'
On Thursday, court heard that police found an unsecured shotgun in the back of a pickup truck while executing a search warrant at the man's property on Dec. 18, 2023. A number of other weapons were also seized, but they were stored in a locked gun safe as Canadian law requires.
The Crown told the court that the man co-operated with the investigation, accepted responsibility early on and is "completely remorseful" for his actions. Ultimately, however, he was the adult responsible for the firearms being on the property.
"What we're dealing with is a charge of unsafe storage of a weapon. There's no basis … that he was party to another offence," Judge Nancy Orr told the court.
"We're all quite aware of the fact there were other consequences that come out of this matter that were quite serious. But I have to deal with [the man] with respect to an unsafe storage charge."
Tyson MacDonald's family, who were in the courtroom during the hearing, shook their heads as the judge handed down the sentence. They told CBC News outside the courtroom that they were frustrated with the legal system.
"The sentence, what he got, is not right," family friend Rodney Noseworthy said after the hearing.
"He should be doing time in custody. If that gun wasn't there, if it was safely locked up, that young boy would be still alive right now, and with his family for Christmas… There should be time in custody, but there's not.
"It's very hard [on the family]. If it was me, I couldn't sit in the courtroom and listen to it. They're very strong people."
With files from Steve Bruce