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A Toronto judge has sentenced Nathan Bell to 10 years and nine months in prison. The 40-year-old Brampton man faced charges after a deadly 2023 bus stop shooting. Specifically, a jury found him guilty of discharging a firearm with intent to wound. In addition, he admitted to breaching three court-ordered weapons prohibition orders. Overall, this sentencing follows a complex six-week jury trial.
Acquittal on Murder Charges
Earlier, on May 22, a jury acquitted Bell of first-degree murder in Kyle Provo’s death. Furthermore, jurors cleared Bell on three counts of attempted murder. However, they convicted him on the lesser firearm charge. Later, Bell pleaded guilty to violating his weapons prohibition orders.
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Judicial Findings on Intent
Justice Philip Campbell presided over the trial. According to the judge, the jury likely rejected Bell’s self-defence claim. Instead, Campbell suggested jurors believed Bell intended to wound rather than kill. Therefore, jurors doubted Bell formed the specific intent required for a murder conviction.
Events Leading to the Shooting
On September 16, 2023, Bell and Richard Baker rode an Uber from Brampton to Toronto. Afterward, they met Baker’s brother at Sherbourne and Dundas streets. The three men then approached a bus stop near a social gathering. Suddenly, gunfire broke out around 2:45 a.m.
Confrontation Captured on Video
Bell testified he went to buy marijuana at the scene. However, no witnesses corroborated his story. Justice Campbell noted the exact cause of the fight remained unclear. Nevertheless, evidence pointed to an exchange about property or robbery.
Meanwhile, Omer Gedo approached the men with a small axe in his hoodie pocket. Consequently, shots rang out seconds later near a fence. Surveillance cameras captured the entire 34-second shooting. As a result, four people suffered gunshot wounds.
Shooters hit Gedo five times and wounded two bystanders. Tragically, a bullet hit Provo in the head as he ran away, killing him. Immediately after, Bell and his group fled the scene.
Criminal History and Court Rulings
Justice Campbell described the incident as a bloodbath. Thus, he called for a stern sentence to deter gun violence. In fact, Bell has 43 prior convictions dating back to 2005. He previously served time for manslaughter in 2017.
Because of pretrial custody credit, Bell has six years and five months remaining to serve. Additionally, the court imposed a lifetime weapons prohibition on him.
Expressing Remorse in Court
During the hearing, Bell expressed remorse for the victims. Specifically, he vowed to give up firearms permanently. In response, Campbell acknowledged Bell’s supportive family and intelligence. Ultimately, the judge expressed hope for Bell’s future rehabilitation. Meanwhile, co-accused Richard Baker faces trial next year for murder.
