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Trial hears N.B. gunman felt he was surrounded by ‘demons,’ had to fight his way out

Oct 28, 2020 | 8:49 AM

The man on trial for a 2018 mass shooting in Fredericton says he thought the end of times had begun and he might have to use his guns to fight his way out of his apartment. 

Matthew Raymond, 50, is on the witness stand for a second day, testifying in his own defence. 

He faces four counts of first-degree murder in the Aug. 10, 2018 deaths of Donnie Robichaud, Bobbie Lee Wright and Fredericton police constables Robb Costello and Sara Burns.

The defence admits Raymond shot the victims but is trying to prove that he should be found not criminally responsible because of a mental disorder.

Raymond told the court today that he thought the other residents of his apartment complex were all “demons” and that his mother was too and she had shared keys to his apartment. 

He testified that he no longer holds the strong belief in demons that guided his actions in 2018.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 28, 2020.

The Canadian Press