Two face prison sentences in shooting, police chase

Two men have been found guilty of all charges in connection with a drug-fuelled car theft, gang-related shooting and police pursuit in Saskatoon.

William Roderick Gunn, 21, and William Joseph Paul, 26, face minimum five-year sentences for the March 21, 2015, incident in which Paul fired a sawed-off shotgun from the back seat of a stolen car into the back passenger door of a vehicle stopped at a traffic light.

No one was injured in the shooting. The stolen car, with Gunn at the wheel, sped through traffic with numerous police vehicles in pursuit, side-swiping a truck and driving in the wrong lane, Justice Bruce Acton said Tuesday, reading from his 20-page written verdict on a trial heard in March at Saskatoon Court of Queen’s Bench.

The chase ended when the car smashed into a garage in an alley near Idylwyld Drive and 32nd Street West.

Gunn and Paul were jointly charged with seven offences, including having possession of a stolen vehicle, discharging a firearm with intent to harm Justin Stolar, who was driving the other vehicle, and possessing the weapon and ammunition without a licence.

Gunn was also convicted of having his face masked with a blue bandana — the preferred colour of the Saskatchewan Warriors street gang — while committing a crime, as well as fleeing police, dangerous driving, knowingly being in a vehicle with a loaded gun, having a gun for a dangerous purpose and breaching probation.

Paul was also convicted of possessing the shotgun and ammunition without a licence and while subject to a firearms prohibition.

Acton found that the car had been stolen from an acreage and that Gunn had driven it throughout the day, during which he picked up Kendra McDonnell, Paul and a youth whose name is protected by law.

They picked up the sawed-off shotgun and were driving around when Gunn thought he saw a member of the rival Terror Squad gang in an apartment parking lot. Paul, who was in the driver-side back seat, pointed the weapon at the rivals.

Later, Gunn saw a rival gang member and chased a vehicle in traffic on 22nd Street West. He drove in the right-hand ditch to pull up beside a green Malibu, where he handed the shotgun to Paul, who shot through the open window.

Acton also accepted evidence that Gunn tried to convince others in the car to take responsibility for some of his crimes and asked others to lie for him.

McDonnell and the youth pleaded guilty to lesser, related charges and were both sentenced. McDonnell was given a one-year conditional sentence.

Crown prosecutor Cory Bliss said outside court that the trial heard all four people in the car were using methamphetamine that day.

Bliss indicated he may ask for a nine-year term.

“Unfortunately, a big part of this has to do with crystal meth ... a real scourge in the city. It’s leading to a lot of property crime (and) violent crimes and these are all things we’re trying to combat through sentences we’re asking for,” he said.

Gunn and Paul are due back in court on June 28 for sentencing submissions.

Unfortunately, a big part of this has to do with crystal meth ... a real scourge in the city.