First degree murder, Reckless discharge of a restricted or prohibited firearm, Possession of a loaded prohibited or restricted firearm
R. v. Reed
- On release at the time
Sentence and the Crown's position
What the law allows
Richard Charles Reed was convicted after a six-week trial of first-degree murder for shooting a man through the window of a busy Richmond restaurant in September 2020, of intentionally discharging a prohibited or restricted firearm into the restaurant, and of possessing the loaded handgun two months later. The Crown sought six years and four years for the firearms offences, consecutive to each other; the defence agreed on the lengths but asked that they be concurrent. Justice A. Ross imposed the mandatory life sentence with no parole eligibility for 25 years, with six years and four years for the firearms offences, all concurrent, finding the later possession was related to the shooting.
In the judge's words
1Mr. Reed planned and deliberated on the murder. He spent 20 minutes surveying the restaurant, walking around or through the Manzo parking lot. He waited for the sun to set so that he could commit the offence under the cover of darkness. He had also predetermined his flight path after the murder.
The record
- Convicted of
- First degree murder (CC 231(2))
- Reckless discharge of a restricted or prohibited firearm (CC 244.2(3)(a))
- Possession of a loaded prohibited or restricted firearm (CC 95(1))
- Prior convictions
- Not recorded
- At the time of the offence
- On probation1
- Mandatory minimum
- Applied1
- Appeal
- Not yet checked
- Counsel
- Crown: R.J. Antonuk
Defence: K. Westell and S.N. Dickson
Sources
- R. v. Reed, 2025 BCSC 121 Court decision, CanLII, January 14, 2025
[6] With respect to Count 3, the intentional discharge of a prohibited weapon, the Crown seeks a sentence of six years. Defence acknowledges that six years is a fit sentence. I note that 244.2(3)(a)(i) of the Criminal Code, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46, imposes a mandatory minimum sentence of five years for that offence.
Count 1: Richard Charles Reed, on or about the 18th day of September, 2020, in Richmond, in the Province of British Columbia, did, while using a firearm in the commission of the offence, commit the first degree murder of
[14] I now turn to the circumstances of the offender. … At the time of this murder, Mr. Reed was on probation in respect of three separate convictions.
[12] Mr. Reed planned and deliberated on the murder. He spent 20 minutes surveying the restaurant, walking around or through the Manzo parking lot. He waited for the sun to set so that he could commit the offence under the cover of darkness. He had also predetermined his flight path after the murder.
[31] Mr. Reed, on Count 1, first-degree murder, I sentence you to life in prison with no eligibility for parole for 25 years. [32] On Count 3, the intentional discharge of the prohibited weapon, I sentence you to six years' imprisonment. [33] On Count 4, possession of the prohibited weapon, I sentence you to four years' imprisonment. [34] As noted, all of these sentences will be served concurrently.
- R. v. Reed, 2025 BCSC 121 Court decision, Courts of British Columbia