Man says he does not keep in mind stabbing stranger in downtown Saskatoon

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In the course of the day in downtown Saskatoon, Tyrell Koby Mosquito chased down a stranger and stabbed him in what was described as an unprovoked assault.

He instantly biked away, modified his garments in a close-by alley and removed his bike, Crown prosecutor David Piché instructed a Saskatoon Court docket of King’s Bench choose throughout Mosquito’s sentencing listening to on Friday.

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James Stuart, 35, died from a single stab wound to the guts. In accordance with the info introduced in courtroom, Mosquito and two others approached him in entrance of a espresso store within the 200 block of twentieth Avenue West simply earlier than 2 p.m. on Feb. 19, 2024.

Court docket heard witnesses noticed Stuart working away from Mosquito, who pursued him whereas swinging a crimson Milwaukee folding knife at his again.

Mosquito and Stuart had by no means met earlier than that day.

Based mostly on surveillance footage, Mosquito was arrested the following day, however was too intoxicated to offer a police assertion. He later instructed police that he was “blackout drunk” and excessive on meth, and didn’t keep in mind the stabbing.

Mosquito, 25, was charged with second-degree homicide. Final month, he pleaded responsible to manslaughter.

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On Friday, Justice Mona Dovell sentenced him to 9 years in jail.

Arguing for an 11-year sentence, Piché mentioned Mosquito’s post-offence behaviour suggests he remembers greater than he’s prepared to confess. He mentioned the stabbing was deliberate and falls into the class of “close to homicide” on the sentencing vary of 4 to 12 years for manslaughter.

Piché famous Mosquito’s 57 prior convictions — principally for property, weapons and drug offences — and 13 remand incidents between March 2024 and this February.

Mosquito is a identified gang member, however attorneys confused that the killing wasn’t gang-related.

Two individuals got here to courtroom for his sentencing: a girl supporting Mosquito, and a sufferer providers employee.

Court docket heard Stuart, who’s from Alberta, didn’t have many relations when he was killed. Piché learn a sufferer affect assertion written by his aunt, who mentioned Stuart’s mom was younger and he was put in foster care shortly after his delivery.

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Regardless of their efforts, his household couldn’t discover out the place he was dwelling. After his mom died, Stuart’s aunt tracked him down on Fb. She mentioned she was happy with what he’d carried out together with his life once they finally noticed one another.

Piché instructed courtroom that Stuart’s household in the end “missed out on his presence, greater than as soon as.”

Defence lawyer Jared Aumiller mentioned social providers was additionally concerned in Mosquito’s life since his “first breath.” Born with medicine in his system, he was recognized with fetal alcohol spectrum dysfunction, consideration deficit hyperactivity dysfunction, and later, drug-induced psychosis.

Aumiller mentioned Mosquito — certainly one of 14 youngsters from younger dad and mom with substance-use issues — didn’t have a lot of an opportunity at a “regular life.”

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He joined a gang at 15, and relied on it for cover in jail. He consumed any medicine that had been accessible, and used intravenous medicine together with his mom earlier than she died in 2019.

Across the time of the killing, Mosquito was dwelling in shelters and on the road, his days spent trying to find alcohol and medicines, Aumiller mentioned.

He urged the courtroom to contemplate his consumer’s previous when contextualizing such a mindless killing. He requested for an eight-year sentence, saying Mosquito simply occurred to stab Stuart within the “worst spot attainable.” He argued Mosquito didn’t intend to kill Stuart, however knew he would trigger “critical private damage.”

Standing as much as handle the courtroom, Mosquito mentioned “I really feel sorry for what I did. I didn’t imply to kill James Stuart. I really feel sorry for his household.”

With 584 days of enhanced remand credit score, Mosquito has simply over seven years remaining on his nine-year jail time period.

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