A teen involved in a fatal “mass shooting” outside a Toronto high school last summer could receive a deferred custody sentence, following a joint submission from the Crown and defence.
A sentencing hearing Friday took place on what would have been the birthday of Delroy George Parkes, one of two men killed in the June 2, 2024 shooting — a detail the family said made the day even more difficult.
Victim impact statements were read aloud in court by Jaidyn Parkes, the daughter of Delroy George Parkes, and Heather Parkes, his wife.
Jaidyn told the court she was on vacation when she learned her father had been shot.
“I received the worst call in my life,” she said.
She described North Albion Collegiate Institute as a place her father had gone to socialize for years and believed was safe.
“He would think he’d be safe in a place that felt like home,” she told the court.
Parkes said the loss forced her to take on responsibilities far beyond her age.
“I went into survival mode at 23 years old,” she said, adding she “will forever be traumatized by that night.”
Parkes acknowledged she understands how young people can be influenced by their environments but said that “understanding how someone gets to that point is not the same as justifying their actions.”
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Heather told the court she lost not only her husband, but her sense of security.
In her victim statement, she described living with daily fear in public spaces since the shooting.
“I’m always wondering who might have a gun,” she said.
“My life, and my children’s lives, will never be the same.”
She added that while the teen may move on, her family cannot.
“We are living a life sentence full of hurt, anxiety, financial stress, and loss,” she said.
The teen was originally charged with two counts of first-degree murder and seven counts of attempted murder in connection with the incident, which police described at the time as a “mass shooting.”
According to police, three suspects arrived in a stolen pickup truck, two got out, and one opened fire, killing Parkes, 61, and Seymour Gibbs, 46, and injuring three others.
Those charges were later stayed after Crown attorneys said there was not a reasonable prospect of conviction.
Court documents indicate the teen was not the shooter, but later helped move the vehicle used in the attack and fled from police while in possession of a loaded handgun.
An agreed statement of facts states he admitted he suspected he was helping those involved in the shooting and made a conscious decision not to ask questions, describing his actions as “willful blindness.”
The teen pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact to a discharged firearm, possession of a loaded restricted firearm without authorization, and possession of stolen property over $5,000.
The teen, who cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, appeared before Justice L. Montague and did not wish to address the court.
Defence counsel told the court the teen has expressed deep sorrow and remorse for the families and is trying to move forward with his life.
Assistant Crown attorney Simon King told the court the Crown and defence are jointly seeking a deferred custody sentence. After applying 1.5-day credit for 420 days spent in presentence custody, it would amount to 630 days.
The Crown is asking for an additional six months of deferred custody. That would include three months of house arrest followed by three months under a curfew.
King said the proposed sentence also includes a DNA order and a 10-year weapons prohibition. If the teen breaches any of the conditions, the Crown is asking that the remainder of the sentence be served in custody.
The defence said the proposed sentence falls within the appropriate range, given the circumstances of the case, the teen’s level of involvement and his personal circumstances.
“I want everyone in this courtroom to know my father mattered. His life mattered,” Jaidyn said. “Our pain deserves recognition, and our loss deserves justice.”
Sentencing has been scheduled for Jan. 2.
— with files from Aaron D’Andrea
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