La Loche mayor ‘pleased’ teen gunman will be sentenced as adult

CAPTION: The mayor of La Loche, Saskatchewan, says a ruling to sentence a young gunman who killed four people in 2016 as an adult is “the right decision.” Robert St.

Pierre says lessons must be learned from the tragedy. (February 23, 2018) 1.

SOUNDBITE: Robert St.

Pierre, mayor of La Loche PLACELINE: La Loche, Sask.

CREDIT: The Canadian Press STORYLINE: A young man who was days away from his 18th birthday when he shot up a home and school in northern Saskatchewan, killing four people, is facing a life sentence after a judge ruled Friday that he should be treated as an adult.

Judge Janet McIvor brought down her decision in La Loche, the remote community where the shooting happened in January 2016.

Two teenage brothers were killed in their home before the shooter went to the school where he gunned down a teacher and a teacher's aide.

Seven others were injured.

The young man, who is now 20, pleaded guilty in October 2016 to two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder and seven counts of attempted murder.

McIvor said there was evidence that the shooter was at a high risk to reoffend and suggested a youth sentence would not be appropriate because of the shooting's profound impact on the community.

The judge noted the ``incredible level of violence'' against the teen boys and at the school.