The man who is alleged to have shot his former boss in Yaletown last week is expected to remain in hospital until at least the end of the week. His court date set for today has been put over until Monday.
Sixty-one-year-old Gerald Mark Battersby was shot multiple times in a standoff with Vancouver police officers near Science World after allegedly shooting his former boss — 52-year-old owner of Reckless Cycles Paul Dragan — in front of a coffee shop on Davie Street and Marinaside Crescent moments earlier.
Battersby has been charged with six counts of attempted murder, one for the attempted murder of Dragan and five counts of attempted murder in relation to police officers involved in the shootout.
At a hearing this morning, the Crown asked that Battersby be remanded in custody, but the judge says he doesn’t have the authority to do so until he knows that the suspect has been informed of his right to a lawyer.
Crown says Battersby hasn’t communicated he wants counsel.
Battersby was expected to make his first court appearance last Friday.
In the aftermath of the shooting, police investigators suggested they were looking into the possibility mental health issues played a role in the incident.
Battersby’s current employer Colin Barkhouse says he was recently evicted from a temporary shelter and was trying to get his life back together.
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He recently lost his job as a bike mechanic. After losing his job he got kicked out of a house where he lived with his brother and another roommate. Dragan was their landlord.
Desperate and with nowhere to go, Battersby ended up in a shelter in North Vancouver last month. The shelter only offers temporary accommodations and Barkhouse said Battersby told him he was kicked out and ended up living on the street.
Barkhouse said he never knew Battersby to own a gun and he never talked about wanting to harm Dragan.
Dragan is currently recovering in hospital and is now off the critical list. Today, the Yaletown Business Improvement Association will be hosting an outdoor community BBQ in support of the victim.
With files from Rumina Daya and Amy Judd
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