The man charged with shooting his former landlord and engaging in a public shootout with Vancouver police near Science World has pleaded guilty for the terrifying rampage.

Reckless Bike Shop owner Paul Dragan was shot in broad daylight outside a Yaletown Starbucks on June 10, 2014. Gerald Battersby then jumped on a bicycle and rode towards Science World at the east end of False Creek. The police pursuit spurred an armed shootout with members of the Vancouver Police Department.

Battersby was a seasonal worker assembling bikes for Dragan, and eventually moved with his autistic brother into the basement of a rental home owned by the cycling shop owner.

He was asked to leave the home by Dragan after experiencing problems with the upstairs tenant, identified as Joel, who struggled with impulse control, the court heard. Lawyers said Joel had stolen food from Battersby and his brother on several occasions.

The court heard that Battersby was a hoarder and left behind truckloads of stuff in the basement when he left, which Dragan had to deal with.

Lawyers maintained that Battersby's rage over being evicted boiled over into the act of revenge against his former landlord and employer.

A day planner found at the scene at Science World had an entry written the day before the rampage stating: "Kill Joel Paul D Erica." The Crown says Joel is Battersby's former tenant, Paul is Dragan and Erica is Dragan's wife.

The planner also had "Adios a**holes" written in it, and references to suicide by cop.

Dragan was sitting at an outdoor patio table at a Starbucks near his shop when he was shot at point-blank range.

Although he has no recollection of the shooting, the bike store manager he was having coffee with said Battersby approached with a gun repeatedly shouting "you screwed me over."

The men tried to get him to put the gun down, but he opened fire. Dragan said: "Gerry you shot me," before falling to the ground.

Dragan went into cardiac arrest and lost two litres of blood. Emergency responders said there was no pulse when they arrived and he was only alive because medical professionals nearby helped him at the scene.

Reading a victim impact statement, Dragan said the shooting left him "forever scarred, physically and emotionally."

Dragan said he still has panic attacks, and is constantly in pain and discomfort. He said he now avoids watching the news if there's anything involving police or shootings. His son, who was 12 at the time, and his wife are also afraid.

He then spoke about how he believes he would have died had it not been for the off-duty emergency room doctor who happened to be there that day. Referring to the man as an "angel," he described how the bullet went through his chest and lungs, but the doctor packed the heavily-bleeding wound while they waited for paramedics to rush him to hospital.

He said he spent six days in a coma, and that his business suffered because he wasn't able to be at the helm.

"My surgeon told me I died on the table. He (Battersby) almost got his way, but he didn't" Dragan read.

"I am fearful he will harm me again... His heinous act of violence has forever changed my life."

Battersby was originally charged with six counts of attempted murder and weapons charges. On Thursday he pleaded guilty to three counts of attempted murder, plus two weapons charges: intentionally discharging a firearm, and carrying a loaded or restricted firearm.

Crown and defence are asking for 18 years in prison, minus time-and-a-half credit for time already served in protective custody. That puts the sentence at 14.5 years.