La Loche Mayor Robert St. Pierre outside Meadow Lake Provincial Court on Friday afternoon. Photo by Chelsea Laskowski.
An emotional Meadow Lake courtroom has heard from the La Loche shooter, who said repeatedly “I’m sorry I ruined your life” and “you were not a target” in a statement addressing his 11 victims and their families.
Hands shaking, the 19-year-old, who cannot be named because he was a youth at the time of his offences, looked downwards as he quietly read from a letter he had prepared. He remained largely expressionless until he reached his remarks on teen brothers Dayne and Drayden Fontaine, who he killed in a La Loche home on Jan. 22, 2016 before opening fire in the high school.
He said both Fontaine brothers were his friends, pausing for about a minute as he rubbed his eyes and was offered a box of tissue while he cried. Judge McIvor told him “take your time.” Dozens of La Loche community members in court consoled each other as he spoke, audibly sobbing.
“Dayne was my best friend growing up. We did everything together,” the offender said, recalling going up north with the Fontaine brothers and their grandfather to go hunting and camping.
He said he misses them and sometimes pretends they’re still alive, talking to them in his cell.
The offender started his statement by addressing the victims he injured, some of whom cannot be named because they were youths when he shot them in the La Loche high school Dene Building. He too had been a student back then, retaking his Grade 10 for the third time.
He addressed one of the youths, saying “I’m sorry I shot at you. I don’t know what I was thinking that day. You didn’t deserve to get shot. Nobody did. I wish I could take back what I did.”
Referring to one girl who can no longer play volleyball he apologized for taking that away from her, saying “all that happened in just one second. You were not a target and I’m sorry I ruined your life.”
To a cousin he injured, he said “I’m not sure why you were hit and I’m sorry. I didn’t even know you were one of the victims that day.”
To a student, he said “I’m sorry I shot you outside the school when you were coming inside to learn” and “you were not a target. You just happened to be there, at the wrong place at the wrong time.”
He recalled many of the victims as good people, including teacher Adam Wood who he only knew because he’d been a new teacher that year. Wood was killed.
“If he was here right now I would say to him I didn’t really know you but I heard you were a good person,” he said.
He apologized to the mother of Marie Janvier, who was present in court, saying “I am sorry I ruined your life and took your daughter away. All she wanted to do was help students be like her and graduate. I’m sorry I took that away from her.”
Janvier’s mother was surrounded by people who comforted her and rubbed her back during the emotional address.
Outside court, La Loche Mayor Robert St. Pierre, who has a niece who was injured in the shooting, commented on the tearful statement.
“It takes me back to that terrible day that some lives were taken other lives have been affected for the rest of their lives, and the community is distraught,” he said.
St. Pierre said he is “mixed up” about his thoughts on whether or not the offender’s comment were genuine, noting that throughout the hearing court consistently heard many except for one witness describe the offender as remorseful only for the loss of the Fontaine brothers.
As expected, the shooter did not give a clear motive, instead saying to people he wasn’t specifically sure why he shot them.
Sentencing arguments will be heard on Aug. 25.