‘What is this telling people?’: Mother of Toronto shooting victim questions sentence for son’s shooter

Kelly Whetter has left a downtown Toronto courthouse disappointed with the sentence delivered to the man who shot and killed her son.

“I mean it doesn’t compare to the life sentence that we’re all going to have not having Gabriel here,” said the single mother who lost her only child in April 2016.

Surrounded by supporters and friends of her son, Whetter questioned the message the judge’s sentence sends to others convicted of crime.

“What is this telling people? that you can have an altercation and shoot someone and you’re going to spend a short time in prison. That is not a great message to be sending this city, in this climate,” she said.

READ MORE: Mother of 2016 murder victim reacts to spate of shootings in Toronto

Gabriel Nikov, 18, was shot six times in the back with an illegal firearm near a Tim Horton’s coffee shop in the Yonge and Bloor streets area by a 24-year-old man, Bradley Cheveldayoff. The two were involved in a physical confrontation minutes before.

Cheveldayoff was initially charged with second-degree murder, but the jury found him guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter.

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On Friday, a judge sentenced Cheveldayoff to 16 years in prison, but he will serve fewer years behind bars. Four years were deducted for time spent in pre-trial custody under harsh conditions.

In his ruling, Justice Suhail A.Q. Akhtar referred to Bradley Cheveldayoff’s lengthy criminal history.

“In my view, those prospects are very poor,” he said of Cheveldayoff’s chances of rehabilitation.

“As I have noted, his criminal activity, violent offences in a relatively short span of time, and offences committed on bail show his disregard for the legal process.

“The fact that Mr. Cheveldayoff was carrying a loaded gun whilst prohibited by a court order further demonstrated a lack of desire to change his ways and divert himself from a life of crime.”

Outside of court, between hugs from friends, Kelly Whetter said she feels the judge gave the best sentence given the circumstances. She said she hoped the jury would have found Cheveldayoff guilty of second-degree murder, not the lesser charge.

“Nothing brings him back. It doesn’t matter if it was life, I’m still going to feel the same way,” she said.

“But to save other people, he should be in for life because he will hurt someone again.”

Nate Oberst, a friend of Nikov’s who attended court, walked up to Bradley Cheveldayoff as he was handcuffed in the courtroom.

“I just went up and showed him my shirt with Gabriel on it and I told him to remember the face because that’s the face he just threw away a dozen years of his life over,” Oberst said.

“I hope he realizes what a stupid decision that was one day.”