Man sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for 2020 Cape Breton shooting

Nova Scotia Supreme Court is seen on July 18, 2025. (Callum Smith/CTV Atlantic)

A man who was described by one judge as “Cape Breton’s first active shooter” will serve a 10-year sentence for aggravated assault and kidnapping charges, but not until 2030 as he is currently incarcerated for other offences.

Raymond Shawn Daniel LeRoy was found guilty of the shootings of two people in the Sydney, N.S., area on Aug. 29, 2020. He was also found guilty of kidnapping, uttering death threats, assault causing bodily harm, and pointing a firearm at someone, according to a written decision by Judge Timothy Gabriel.

Gabriel noted that Justice Kevin Coady, who found LeRoy guilty in February 2024, described the accused’s actions as leading to “Cape Breton’s first active shooter investigation.”

“Public safety was placed at risk by Mr. LeRoy’s unrestrained and menacing conduct which took place throughout the Sydney community over a period of hours and involved transporting and discharging a firearm in public places,” the decision reads. “The fact that these offences occurred while Mr. LeRoy was on judicial interim release for other firearms related offences, simply exacerbates the seriousness of his conduct.”

The decision says LeRoy struck one person in the face with the butt of a rifle, fracturing her nose and shattering many of her teeth. He then shot her and shot another person in the leg.

“There is no question that the circumstances of these offences are extremely troubling,” Gabriel said. “In fact, I am understating it quite a bit when I leave it at ‘very troubling.’”

The written decision says LeRoy received a 10-year sentence for a separate firearm incident in January 2023. He also got a one-and-a-half-year sentence for arson last December, bringing his total sentence up to 11.5 years, which won’t be finished until 2030.

“I am satisfied that Mr. LeRoy is appropriately designated a long-term offender,” Gabriel said.

Gabriel noted LeRoy will not begin to serve his sentence for the 2020 shooting until 2030. Afterwards, he will be subject to a 10-year long-term supervision order.

“It is abundantly clear that if I follow the recommendation, Mr. LeRoy will be in receipt of a jail sentence which (combined) totals 21 ½ years,” the decision reads. “This could be considered, in some contexts, a crushing one.

“However, we are dealing with proceedings under Part XXIV of the Criminal Code. If a longer (total) period of incarceration than what would ordinarily be appropriate is required to adequately protect the public, the protection of the public will be given paramount consideration.”

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