TORONTO -- A 24-year-old man involved in a brazen daylight shooting at a Scarborough playground that left two young girls wounded has been sentenced to 13 years in prison.
Earlier this month, T’Quan Robertson pleaded guilty to attempted murder and two counts of aggravated assault in connection with the shooting, which occurred at a playground at Alton Towers Circle, located near McCowan Road and McNicoll Avenue, on the evening of June 14, 2018.
On Thursday morning, a judge sentenced Robertson to 13 years in prison for his role in the incident, with six months credit for time already spent in custody.
Robertson was arrested on July 28, 2020 in Whitchurch-Stouffville, a little over a month after police announced a $75,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.
Two other suspects have also been charged in connection with the shooting.
According to an agreed statement of facts previously submitted to the court, Robertson and two other men left an apartment in Pickering at around 4:30 p.m. on the day of the shooting and drove to a townhouse complex on Alton Towers Circle in a black Nissan Versa.
Video surveillance footage obtained by police showed the vehicle drive past a playground at the townhouse complex, circle the area two more times, and then park the vehicle.
Minutes later, Robertson and one other person are seen exiting the vehicle.
“They ran over to the edge of the parking lot and fired 10 shots from a semi-automatic handgun through the wooded fence into the basketball area of the playground,” the agreed statement of facts read.
The intended target of the shooting, who was not injured, was playing with several young children when the gunshots rang out.
Two young sisters, who were ages five and nine at the time of the incident, were struck by bullets.
The gunmen returned to their vehicle and fled the scene following the shooting.
The two victims were transported to hospital for treatment and have since recovered from their injuries.
Speaking at his sentencing hearing earlier this month, Robertson apologized for his role in the shooting.
“I love kids and what I did was horrendous and I am ready to face the consequences,” he told the court.
Crown prosecutors asked the court to consider a sentence of 15 years for the three charges while defence lawyers argued that 10 years would be a more appropriate sentence.
Justice John McMahon said Robertson's guilty pleas were a mitigating factor in sentencing as it spared the court from a lengthy trial at a time when court resources are already strained due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Robertson has been ordered to submit his DNA to the National DNA Data Bank and must not have contact with his two co-accused.
