Thursday, December 25, 2025
ADVT 
National

Eyewitnesses take stand in N.B. mass shooting trial

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 24 Sep, 2020 06:42 PM
  • Eyewitnesses take stand in N.B. mass shooting trial

Norma Foster told a Fredericton courtroom Thursday that on the morning of Aug. 10, 2018, she woke up to gun shots.

The witness told jurors she called 911 and looked out her apartment window and saw two people checking the pulse of a man lying on the ground outside.

Foster, an eyewitness to the 2018 Fredericton mass shooting, took the stand Thursday in the murder trial of Matthew Raymond. The 50-year-old is charged with four counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Donnie Robichaud, Bobbie Lee Wright and Fredericton police constables Robb Costello and Sara Burns.

She testified that a short time after she heard the shots, police arrived. Then, she said, she heard loud noises and saw Cst. Costello "fall down."

An emotional Foster said she told the dispatcher two officers had been shot.

Another eyewitness, Sarah Gould, sobbed as she testified how she woke to the sound of gunshots and looked out her sister's window. She said she saw a window screen on the ground, and after looking upward, saw the barrel of a gun sticking out a window.

Gould said police officers arrived a few minutes later and that she heard more bangs. "They got shot," she said, crying. "First the male went down, then the female."

Asked where the officers were shot, Gould pointed to her chest, referring to the male officer's wounds, and then pointed to her back to indicate where the female cop was shot.

Gould said she saw two people crouching by a car.

On Wednesday, jurors were told that the couple behind the car was Shawn Noble and Kendra Snodgrass.

Jurors were told the couple had seen a man laying on the ground and had gone outside to see if they could offer any assistance. They could find no pulse, and waited until police arrived. They ducked behind a car when the shooting resumed.

Also on Thursday, Martin Vezina testified that his girlfriend had gotten him out of bed that August morning after she heard what sounded like fireworks outside their apartment.

He said he looked out his living room window and saw what appeared to be the barrel of a gun sticking out a window. He then heard a loud bang and the sound of smashing glass. Vezina said he hit the floor and quickly crawled to a bedroom and barricaded himself inside.

A picture introduced as evidence in court shows a bullet hole through the living room window of Vezina's apartment.

Vezina said he heard at least 10 more shots. He said he remained in the apartment with his girlfriend and three children until police came and escorted them out.

The trial continues Thursday afternoon.

MORE National ARTICLES

Virtual health care here to stay

Virtual health care here to stay
Patient advocates describe the shift as a double-edged sword, saying the increased health-care access that remote care can provide is often countered by drawbacks that place seniors, disabled Canadians and other marginalized communities at greater risk of harm.

Virtual health care here to stay

Mourners grieve Traynor family killed in shooting

Mourners grieve Traynor family killed in shooting
Fifty-year-old Chris Traynor and the couple's children, 20-year-old Bradley Traynor, 15-year-old Adelaide Traynor and 11-year-old Joseph Traynor were killed in their home earlier this month.

Mourners grieve Traynor family killed in shooting

Surrey's Anti Gang Task Force traffic stop leads to seizure of vehicle and cash worth over $50K

Surrey's Anti Gang Task Force traffic stop leads to seizure of vehicle and cash worth over $50K
As the investigation advanced, police located numerous bundles of bulk cash, estimated to exceed $50,000, and packages of suspected steroids, inside the vehicle.

Surrey's Anti Gang Task Force traffic stop leads to seizure of vehicle and cash worth over $50K

Canada needs rapid tests now: O'Toole

Canada needs rapid tests now: O'Toole
O'Toole and his family were tested Thursday for COVID-19 through a program for MPs, after waiting for several hours to be tested in Ottawa Wednesday and having to give up.

Canada needs rapid tests now: O'Toole

Mountie didn't see anyone inside speeding Tesla

Mountie didn't see anyone inside speeding Tesla
When the officer turned on the emergency lights on the police cruiser, other vehicles on the highway pulled over but the Tesla accelerated up to 150 km/h.

Mountie didn't see anyone inside speeding Tesla

Tourism sector pleads for wage-subsidy extension

Tourism sector pleads for wage-subsidy extension
The Coalition of Hardest Hit businesses says the phaseout of the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy program beginning this month could mean the loss of millions of tourism jobs.

Tourism sector pleads for wage-subsidy extension