A Fort Providence man who shot at a pair of unsuspecting children with a pellet gun, striking and injuring an 11-year-old girl as she played at a park, was sentenced to time served on Wednesday after spending nearly six months behind bars.
Logan Causa, 18, was handed the sentence after pleading guilty to three firearm-related charges - discharging a firearm, pointing a firearm and unauthorized possession of a firearm.
On Oct. 13, Causa took aim at one of the girls, firing up to six shots towards the playground from a nearby window. The 11-year-old received medical treatment at a health centre after being struck in the leg by a ricocheted pellet.
The second child, a 10-year-old girl, was hit on her shoe with another ricocheted pellet. She didnSA国际影视传媒檛 sustain injuries.
Pellet guns, sometimes called BB-guns, use compressed air to launch pellets at high speeds - up to 500 feet per second. Following his arrest, the Crown sought expert opinion as to whether or not the pellet gun constituted a firearm. Prosecutors argued it did, and a ballistics expert later agreed.
Causa, who was awaiting the outcome of the expertSA国际影视传媒檚 determination, pleaded guilty in February, on the day his preliminary inquiry was set to begin.
Judge Christine Gagnon, who accepted a joint submission of 263 days in jail - amounting to time served - followed by one-year probation by the Crown and defence, said CausaSA国际影视传媒檚 SA国际影视传媒渄eliberate actionSA国际影视传媒� left her SA国际影视传媒渁ppalled and concerned.SA国际影视传媒�
Gagnon said Causa showed poor judgement and a lack of maturity when he targeted the two SA国际影视传媒渦nsuspectingSA国际影视传媒� children who SA国际影视传媒渃ouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 defend themselves.SA国际影视传媒�
Pellet guns, she said, are often seen as less lethal than other firearms, but they still have the SA国际影视传媒減otential to maim a person,SA国际影视传媒� and even cause death.
Following his arrest, Causa was released on a recognisance with conditions he remain at his residence at all times except when attending school or when with his surety. In November, he was again arrested by Fort Providence after police were called to a domestic disturbance. When Mounties tracked down Causa, he punched an officer in the chest multiple times as police struggled to arrest him.
He was taken to North Slave Correctional Complex (NSCC) in Yellowknife where he remained until Wednesday, serving 175 days. With remand credit, that amounts to 263 days - one week shy of nine months. The firearm offences he pleaded guilty to carry a sentence ranging from nine to 12 months.
CausaSA国际影视传媒檚 lawyer Tracy Bock said his client, who is remorseful for his actions, wants to apologize to the victims and his home community. HeSA国际影视传媒檚 been able to link his trouble with the law to alcohol abuse, said Bock.
Given CausaSA国际影视传媒檚 young age and insight into his behaviour, Bock said there is SA国际影视传媒� a lot of hope,SA国际影视传媒� for the 18-year-old to be rehabilitated.
Gagnon agreed.
Causa, who was released following WednesdaySA国际影视传媒檚 sentencing, must submit a sample of his DNA. He's also banned from possessing firearms for the next 10 years, but is allowed to apply for an exemption for hunting purposes.
