Cell bars (Photo by Maureen Revait) Cell bars (Photo by Maureen Revait)
Chatham

Downtown Chatham shooter will spend more time behind bars

A Chatham man has been sentenced to two more years behind bars for a shooting in downtown Chatham in 2023.

Jared Atwell, 27, was sentenced in Chatham court on Thursday after previously pleading guilty to aggravated assault. Atwell was initially charged with attempted murder.

Both the defence and prosecution asked for a further two years in a joint submission.

Atwell was given credit for one year of time already served and six months of enhanced credit, which equals a total sentence of 3.5 years.

Atwell is also banned from possessing weapons, can't contact the victim, and has to provide a DNA sample.

The defence previously noted the sentencing range for aggravated assault is usually 5-7 years behind bars and a maximum of 14 years for the most serious cases, but this case didn't meet that threshold.

The judge said this case had some challenges including a lack of surveillance video, identity issues, and difficulty getting witnesses to testify.

The victim was hit by three bullets, one in the neck, one in the lung, and one in the hip and was taken to hospital after the shooting in the area of King Street West and Fifth Street in downtown Chatham early on the morning of April 30, 2023.

Chatham-Kent police previously said the victim was shot after having a confrontation with the suspect at around 1 a.m. as the bars were about to close.

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