Two first-degree murder charges have been dropped against a man who was accused in a 2012 shooting at a community barbecue that rocked an east-end Toronto neighbourhood.
Shaquan Mesquito has instead pleaded guilty to four new charges in connection with the Danzig Street shooting that left two people dead and 22 others injured.
His lawyer, Liam O'Connor, said his client pleaded guilty Friday to counselling to commit murder, possession of a firearm, breach of a prohibition order and uttering a threat.
He said the facts in the case suggest his client was not actually connected with the shooting.
"(Mesquito) never stated he was there. Police assumed he was there because he'd made some threats earlier," O'Connor told reporters Friday. "It was a real danger he could have been convicted."
O'Connor said the 21-year-old was given a sentence of nine years in prison, but with credit for time served before trial he has five years, three months left.
Mesquito, also known as "Bam Bam," was previously charged with attempted murder, two murder charges, reckless discharge of a firearm and 23 counts of aggravated assault. All charges were dropped on Friday.
Police say the shooting was triggered after members of a local street gang turned away a member of a rival gang member at a neighbourhood barbecue on July 16, 2012.
That gang member then allegedly returned to the event with a number of his associates to confront the other gang, the Galloway Boys. That confrontation sparked a mass shootout.
Bullets sprayed the crowd, killing Shyanne Charles, 14, and Joshua Yasay, 23.
O'Connor says Charles' grandfather approached him in court Friday to pass Mesquito a message: "He wishes him good luck. He hopes he changes his life."
Mesquito's sentencing comes nine months after another man, Nahom Tsegazab, was sentenced to 14 years in prison in connection with Danzig Street shooting. Tzegazab pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter.
With files from CTV Toronto's Zuraidah Alman and The Canadian Press
