Witness testimony began in Nanaimo Supreme Court Wednesday morning in the case against the man charged in the April 2014 Western Forest Products mill shooting.
Kevin Douglas Addison, 47 at the time of his arrest, stands accused of two counts of first-degree murder and two of attempted murder. Fred McEachern and Michael Lunn were killed, while Tony Sudar and Earl Kelly were injured.
After a 50-minute delay due to audio recording equipment difficulties, Crown counsel called Sgt. Keith Stone, an RCMP forensic officer currently stationed in Campbell River, to the stand.
#TechnicalDifficulties and #computer #glitches delaying start of Addison trial in #Nanaimo Court.
— Karl Yu (@KarlYuBulletin) September 7, 2016
Stone was one of the officers who surveyed the 31 Port Dr. scene after the shooting.
Stone testified that he arrived at the mill site at approximately 7:30 a.m. on April 30, 2014, and was told by officers on scene that it appeared a male suspect had entered the property and discharged a shotgun at a male victim in the parking lot, near the main office.
Stone said it appeared that the suspect proceeded to the office where the firearm was discharged “several more times,” with other people being injured.
During his initial examination of the scene, Stone said he observed two vehicles in the now-closed waterfront mill parking lot – a silver GMC truck, as well as a black pickup “to the west” of the GMC.
Stone testified that he saw clothing items, a “large blood-like stain on the gravel,” a set of keys almost underneath the running board of the truck and a pair of glasses with a lens missing on the driver’s side.
After entering the office reception area, Stone said he saw trail of a blood-like substance that originated from his left. He said it went to the left, through two doorways and opened in what he referred to as a “common area.”
Stone said he also noticed a pellet in front of the reception desk on the floor.
He said at the front entrance, he noted damage to the wall on the left and right, which he viewed as consistent with projectile damage.
Scott Van Alstine, Crown counsel, continued to question Stone after a noon break in court proceedings.
Van Alstine estimated the Crown’s case would take about two weeks to present. According to Gordon Comer, Crown counsel spokesman, the trial is expected to run until Oct. 14
The trial is being heard in front of a jury, which was selected at the courthouse in downtown Nanaimo on Tuesday.
Judge Robin Baird is presiding.
For updates on the court case between publications, please follow @karlyubulletin on Twitter.
#Crown counsel calls first #Witness in Kevin Douglas Addison #trial in #Nanaimo. Sgt. Keith Stone, #RCMP #forensics expert.
— Karl Yu (@KarlYuBulletin) September 7, 2016
