A judge has delivered an eight-year prison sentence to a man who wielded an “inherently dangerous and unpredictable” homemade gun in downtown Saskatoon.
With credit for time on remand, Mike Arcand, 35, has six years remaining for his shootout with Saskatoon police on Sept. 27, 2017, in which he fired an improvised weapon in broad daylight.
Before he was taken down, Arcand shot a homemade ‘zip gun’ and reloaded it, which the judge said suggested “he was not done yet.”
Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Jeff Kalmakoff called it “extremely fortunate” that none of the civilians or police officers in the area were physically injured. Arcand suffered a dog bite and gunshot wound.
Because the shooting happened on a weekday afternoon along 4th Avenue South, Kalmakoff said both police and civilians were put in jeopardy.
“Things clearly could have been worse,” he said, crediting “courageous and swift action” from police.
In his decision on Friday, Kalmakoff stated Arcand made a series of poor choices that afternoon including: using meth, fleeing the scene, wielding the gun, firing it and reloading it.
When Arcand had opportunities for the confrontation to end peacefully, he refused, according to the judge.
The Crown argued for a sentenced between nine and ten years, while the defence sought a term between six and seven years.
Arcand has apologized and the judge said he accepts the shooter’s remorse, however, he said it doesn’t detract from the gravity of the offence.
“Mr. Arcand’s degree of responsibility is very high,” the judge said.
He also accepted that Arcand may not have trusted police, but said it doesn’t even come close to justifying his actions.
Arcand’s upbringing in poverty and a family history of residential schools were also considered in the sentencing decision, the judge stated.
At the conclusion of Arcand’s trial, the judge acquitted the man of attempted murder, but found him guilty of numerous weapons-related charges.
Judges are barred from delivering multiple convictions for a single criminal act. As a result, Arcand was sentenced on charges of firing a gun at a person with intent to injure and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.