Eight-year sentence for man who shot at police

Cause of 10-hour standoff remains unexplained

Lyall Marlin Anaquod received a total eight-year prison sentence Monday for his role in an alcoholand drug-fuelled, 10-hour standoff with Regina police, including firing shots at officers.

Drawing on similarities to the case of Mike Andrew Arcand, who shot at Saskatoon police with a homemade zip-gun in 2017, Regina provincial court Judge Dennis Fenwick described the events of Oct. 23, 2017, in Regina as “dangerous (and) tense.” Police used snipers, negotiators and more than 70 canisters of tear gas in the arrest of the 44-year-old Anaquod.

With credit for time served, Anaquod has five years remaining in his sentence. The Crown had argued for a sentence of 10 years, while the defence suggested five to five-and-a-half years.

Anaquod was found guilty in July of discharging a firearm while reckless as to the life or safety of others, pointing a firearm at a police officer, threatening to kill officers, possession of a firearm for a dangerous purpose, and possession of firearms and ammunition contrary to court orders.

The incident started after police went to a house on the 1100 block of Elphinstone Street to investigate an allegation of stolen property. As officers gathered near a door, seeking permission to enter, they heard what sounded like breaking glass and a gunshot.

One officer later found broken glass in his hoodie. For a time, another officer was trapped against the front of the house, while a third felt the force of a shot that passed close to him.

“The accused had consumed alcohol, cocaine and morphine. He had not slept for days. He said he wanted to kill a police officer and there is every reason to believe he would have, if he were able to,” Fenwick said, adding Anaquod was “erratic and dangerously unpredictable.”

Fenwick noted the shot that came close to hitting an officer led to a second shot, this one by a SWAT sniper aiming to protect his teammates. The sniper shot at the person wielding the gun inside the house but missed, court heard.

Eventually, Anaquod came out of the house but refused to follow instructions, so a police dog was used to get him to a position safer for officers. Anaquod fought with the dog and received 100 stitches.

Three firearms were seized, along with spent and live ammunition.

Fenwick said there is no explanation for why the event took place. In a report, Anaquod indicated he went to the house to set up business, but during a sentencing hearing he couldn’t recall what that meant.

Anaquod, who is from Assiniboia, is registered with the Muscowpetung Saulteaux Nation. Fenwick cited two Gladue reports examining Anaquod’s background as an Indigenous man and how that contributed to his involvement in the justice system.

He attended residential school, experienced family breakdown, racism, addiction, cultural alienation and violence.

Growing up, Anaquod was led to believe cultural sweats were witchcraft.

Despite the importance of the Gladue factors, Fenwick said they did not play a role in Anaquod’s sentence reduction.

Anaquod was also a 20-year member of the Manitoba Warriors criminal organization, and while he left the gang he did not leave behind crime.

Of his 24 adult convictions since 1994, four were for violence, including robbery and assault with a weapon. The remaining 20 are property related, breaches and drug offences.