Toronto Eaton Center shooter will plead not criminally responsible

The lawyer for a 29-year-old man accused in a fatal shooting at Toronto’s Eaton Centre in 2012 will argue her client is not criminally responsible for the crimes due to a mental disorder.

Christopher Husbands pleaded not guilty to the charges Monday, which include two counts of second-degree murder, five counts of aggravated assault, one count each of criminal negligence causing bodily harm and reckless discharge of a firearm.

According to The Canadian Press, Husbands’ lawyer Stephanie DiGiuseppe said her client will testify in his own defence where he’ll admit he shot into the group of men inside the food court at the mall, but is not responsible for the actions because of his mental state.

Ahmed Hassan, 24, and Nixon Nirmalendran, 22, died following the shooting on June 2, 2012. Several others were hurt including a 13-year-old boy who was shot in the head and survived and a pregnant woman who was trampled as shoppers hurriedly escaped from the chaos.

Crown lawyer Mary Humphrey told the jury during opening statements Monday that Husbands wanted retribution for being attacked in February. Humphrey said they will show that Husbands and Nirmalendran used to be friends.

Husbands will testify that he believed he heard one of the men in the group say to another to shoot him.

DiGiuseppe said during the trial, which is expected to last several weeks, the jury will hear from several mental health experts who will discuss Husbands’ state of mind during the shooting.