La Loche killer shows no remorse, court hears
The teen who killed four people in La Loche last year told a youth centre case worker he opened fire at his school simply to see what it would feel like and he got “an extreme scary rush after pulling the trigger.” The information — the closest to an explanation court has heard from the shooter for what he did — was shared in a psychological report prepared by psychologist Katelyn Harker. Snippets of the document were read in Meadow Lake provincial court on Tuesday, during the teen’s sentencing hearing.
The shooter, whose identity is protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, was weeks away from his 18th birthday when he fatally shot two teen brothers in their home and then went on a shooting spree at La Loche Community School on Jan. 22, 2016.
He pleaded guilty in October to two counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of brothers Dayne and Drayden Fontaine, two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of teacher’s aide Marie Janvier and teacher Adam Wood, and seven counts of attempted murder.
Harker said she has been meeting with the shooter at Kilburn Hall Youth Centre once every two weeks since September 2016 and has talked to staff there about his behaviour. She said he has cognitive deficiencies, but does not appear to suffer from depression, anxiety or any psychosis.
She noted the teen denies he has problems and does not see the need to make changes in his life. She expressed concern that his family may not be holding him accountable for his actions.
“It was personally just surprising to me that there was so much forgiveness and support, and I spoke to family members about it and it was explained to me that because (the victims) are in a better place and he is currently not, that’s why the focus of the family is on him,” Harker told court.
“The only concern I would have with family being so accepting and forgiving is if he might get the message that this wasn’t that serious an offence.” Harker believes “a long period in a secure environment will be a necessary component for him to start the extensive process of rehabilitation.”
Dr. Declan Quinn, an expert in child and youth psychiatry at the University of Saskatchewan, told court he believes the teen was not suffering from a psychotic illness at the time of the shooting.
Quinn said the teen has intellectual skills in a normal range and although some tests showed he suffered from depression, anxiety and attention deficit disorders, others did not. The teen did not show symptoms of schizophrenia and did not appear to be having hallucinations, he said.
He did report exhibiting behaviour such as breaking rules, lying, cheating, setting fires, stealing and swearing, which are indicative of a conduct disorder, Quinn said.
“He also expressed a terrible attitude towards school that put him in the top two per cent, and he did not like school,” Quinn told court.
Judge Janet McIvor must eventually decide whether the shooter will be sentenced as a youth or an adult. The Crown is seeking an adult sentence, which would carry an automatic term of life in prison, while the defence wants the teen sentenced as a youth, which carries a maximum term of six years in custody and four years under supervision in the community.
All witnesses so far have been called by the Crown. Defence lawyer Aaron Fox said when it’s time for the defence to present its evidence, his focus will be on developing a full picture of who the shooter is. “The more information that can be placed in front of the judge about the youth and his background and his makeup and his family and his upbringing, all of that will be helpful and relevant in the end,” Fox told reporters.