Montreal gunman, accomplice get 8 years for shooting caught on video
Two men were sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in prison Wednesday for shooting a victim who, to this day, isn't sure why he was targeted.
Roberto Celli was shot several times in the legs in April 2019, and his life has changed drastically since then.
The terrifying attack was also caught on surveillance camera, capturing the moment the gunman fired multiple shots at close range.
Celli said he had to undergo eight surgeries and he still can’t work more than a few hours a day.
The shooting happened on Notre-Dame, in Pointe-aux-Trembles, where Celli used to manage rehearsal studio spaces.
A fake client booked an appointment at his business three years ago. When he showed up, the suspect, 23-year-old Jonathan Tshinkenke, took a pistol out and shot Celli in the legs five times.
Roberto Celli shows reporters his scar after being shot in the leg.
It happened just a few feet away from a terrified elderly couple.
Tshinkenke then jumped in a getaway car driven by accomplice, Emmanuel Charbonneau.
The two men were sentenced at the Montreal courthouse after pleading guilty to charges of aggravated assault.
Justice André Vincent cited the increase in gun violence to justify the tough sentence.
"The judge mentioned it, so I think there’s a message there that the sentences need to go higher, concerning possession and use of gun violence," said prosecutor Philippe Valière-Rolland.
The defence said it hasn't decided if it will appeal the sentence.
"I’m going read it over and then decide what my opinion is on it," said defence lawyer Richard Tawil.
Even though the trial is over, Celli has no idea why he was targeted.
Roberto Celli was shot several times in the legs in April 2019.
"It wasn't for me," Celli said. "It was for the people who I used to work for."
The convicted men are off to prison without ever having justified their actions.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.
Storm-battered U.S. South is again under threat. A boy swept into a drain fights for his life
Dangerous storms crashed over parts of the U.S. South on Thursday even as the region cleaned up from earlier severe weather that spawned tornadoes, killed at least three people, and gravely injured a boy who was swept into a storm drain as he played in a flooded street.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.