Shooting of Hells Angels member in Starbucks drive-thru was in exchange for cancelled debts: sentencing judge
Two men who pleaded guilty to their roles in a fatal shooting in Surrey, B.C., have been sentenced to life in prison.
A court ruling posted earlier this week shows that Calvin Junior Powery-Hooker and Nathan James De Jong learned last month they will not be eligible for parole for 20 years.
The men, who were in their early 20s at the time of the offence, both pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in June.
According to a transcription of Justice Michael J. Brundrett's oral ruling, which was read in court in New Westminster on Sept. 10, both men said they were remorseful.
The charges stem from a shooting that occurred on Aug. 2, 2019, outside a Starbucks in Surrey. The victim had been in a Dodge Viper in the drive-thru at the time, and witnesses described seeing two masked men fire several bullets into the car.
Court documents showed that 12 shots were fired through the windows of the car as Suminder Ali "Allie" Grewal, 43, sat inside. He was fatally injured.
Investigators said at the time only that the victim was a "well-established member of an organized crime group," but sources told CTV News previously that the victim was a member of the Hells Angels' Hardside chapter.
First-degree murder charges were announced against Powery-Hooker and De Jong the day after the shooting. Police did not say how they'd tied the men to the incident in such a short time, but court documents state that there was a "high-speed police chase," which ended with their arrests according to Justice Brundrett's ruling.
At one point, the SUV they'd used to flee the scene was clocked at a speed greater than 150 km/h, Brundrett said, noting reports suggested the driver had to swerve around vehicles and pedestrians, and ran multiple red lights before both men were caught.
According to the documents, the men who were charged had followed Grewal from his home before the attack at the Southpoint Exchange Mall drive-thru.
Both have been in custody since the time of their arrest.
They initially planned to go to trial and fight the charges of first-degree murder, but, following an evidentiary hearing, opted to plead guilty to the lesser offence of second-degree.
During sentencing, the court heard the men had been asked to kill Grewal in exchange for the forgiveness of debts. As for why Grewal was targeted, this information was not provided in court, the judge said.
According to the ruling, they intentionally obtained their getaway vehicle, two guns and blue gloves to use in the shooting, and they wore face coverings at the time. A jerry can of gas was found in the back of the car, the court heard, suggesting there may have been plans to burn the vehicle, as is often the case in gang-related shootings in B.C.'s Lower Mainland.
Among the factors considered in their sentencing, the judge said, is that Grewal was "unarmed and defenceless" at the time, and that the shooting was in a public place.
There was a significant amount of planning evident, he said, and their motive included financial compensation. Both have prior criminal records, and both fled police, putting more people in danger.
Still, the judge said, they did plead guilty, sparing the court and the public the high cost of a trial. He said they have "taken some steps to acknowledge the devastating harm they have caused," and have expressed remorse for their actions.
They were both young at the time – aged 20 and 21.
Second-degree murder carries an automatic life sentence in B.C., but parole eligibility varies. Lawyers on both sides suggested the men be ineligible for 20 years.
Describing the incident as a "public, cold-blooded execution of a man waiting in his car at a drive-thru Starbucks location on a sunny Friday morning," the judge said the murder was "particularly vile and shocking in its callous disregard for human life."
Ultimately, he agreed with the joint submission, and sentenced both Powery-Hooker and De Jong to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for 20 years.
He also issued weapons prohibition order for both men for life.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Alice Munro, Nobel literature winner revered as short story master, dead at 92
Nobel laureate Alice Munro, the Canadian literary giant who became one of the world's most esteemed contemporary authors and one of history's most honoured short story writers, has died at age 92.
Latest updates on air quality alerts, and when the smoke may reach Ontario and Quebec
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
Maximum payout for LifeLabs class-action drops from $150 estimate to $7.86
Canadian LifeLabs customers who filed an application for a class-action settlement began receiving their payments this week, though at a much lower amount than initially expected.
1 killed, 3 injured in head-on crash on Hwy. 417 in Ottawa
Ontario Provincial Police are responding to a fatal collision involving two vehicles on Highway 417 in Ottawa's west end on Tuesday morning.
Are these Canada's best restaurants? Annual top 100 list revealed
The annual list of Canada's top restaurants in the country was just released and here are the places that made the 2024 cut.
Significant police presence as Israeli flag flies at Ottawa City Hall
The Israeli flag is flying at Ottawa City Hall today to mark the country's national day, with plans to hold a private ceremony to mark Israel's Independence Day. There is a significant police presence at City Hall, including security barriers outside the main doors.
Steal a car, lose your driver's licence for 10 years under new Ontario proposal
Repeat car thieves may face lengthy licence bans under proposed changes to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act.
8 dead, at least 40 injured as farmworkers' bus overturns in central Florida
A bus carrying farmworkers in central Florida overturned on Tuesday, killing eight people and injuring about 40 other passengers, authorities said.
Attack on prison van in France kills 2 officers, inmate escapes
Armed assailants killed two French prison officers and seriously wounded three others in an attack on a convoy in Normandy on Tuesday and an inmate escaped, officials said.