Two plead guilty to firearm charge in Windsor bowling alley shootings

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Initially, the two brothers were charged with five counts of murder in a mass shooting outside a crowded East Windsor bowling alley three years ago.

Shortly after 1 a.m. on April 9, 2022, about seven shots fired about seven shots from the vehicle, shooting at a weekend crowd outside the Super Bowl lane, five people were hit by bullets.

The incident “caused huge damage” and the mass shooting “caused a shock wave through the Windsor-Essex community,” champion attorney Bryan Pillon said Friday at a sentencing hearing on Friday.

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Brothers Andrew Meloche, 24, and Joshua Fryer, 22, were the crew members in the vehicle that night near the Forest Glade. In a full-day lawsuit by Supreme Court Justice Joseph Perfetto, both men convicted of a single charge of occupying a motor vehicle because they knew it contained a restricted 9mm pistol.

According to an agreed statement of fact, a confrontation occurred in the bowling alley between the two groups, and Flair “fighted from the back” and fell to the ground. Meloche “trying to assist” followed by a fight, and the manager followed up with all customers to close the bowling alley.

Behind the steering wheel, Flair (Meloche) and the others piled into the vehicle. The driver’s window was rolled down and a passenger in the rear allegedly pointed the gun at and began to evacuate it into the crowd as the vehicle set off. Five people were hit by bullets – only one of them was part of the internal battle, and no one was injured by life-threatening injuries.

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Flair’s lawyer Robert Dipietro Jr.

“I don’t believe they knew he would start shooting,” said Robert Dipietro Sr., a lawyer for Melock, referring to two brothers and the suspect gunman.

Justice Perfetto agreed to the application for a publication injunction by the defendant Shooter’s lawyer, who forbids the report of any details that could determine that the individual is still charged with five counts of attempted murder. A jury trial is planned next year.

Windsor Star and CTV Windsor reporters objected to the publication ban in court at a hearing at the beginning of Friday’s lawsuit. In recognizing the constitutional right of the media to inform the public of the public – “one of the symbols of democratic society”, and the right of the community to be informed, Judge Perfetto said that the “guarantee” of the “guarantee” charter of free expression must be balanced with the right of the defendant’s own charter to be fairly tried.

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The Toronto attorneys for the defendant Gunners have requested a full reporting injunction on Friday’s proceedings until after next year’s trial, officials said such a comprehensive injunction could only be “a remedy for the last resort.”

The fact statement read in court records on Friday pointed to the fingers of a particular person, and the judge said there was a “real and substantial risk” that disclosure of such information before the 2026 trial could contaminate potential jurors as well as witness testimony.

The trial has been set aside for eight weeks, Pilon said prosecutors are expected to call “dozens of witnesses”, each offering “a small portion of bigger puzzles”, pointing to the accused Shooter’s guilt. He said that night, the bowling alley was in charge, and it was a crowded and “crazy scene” after the shooting.

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Both defense lawyers and officials recommend conditional sentences for Meloche and Flair at home, with the defense demanding a six to nine-month period and the prosecution seeking a 14 to 20-month period.

Piron calls them “two very young criminals” who are responsible for their guilty claims and have “huge family support” and “obvious paths” in their future careers. The defense also pointed out that under the conditions of “strict House arrests”, there have been no violations in the past three years.

Meloche, 21, had a criminal record at the time of the shooting, including a previous conviction toward a firearm. But that night in the bowling alley, he was described as a passenger in the vehicle.

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Fryer, 19 years old, had no records, but was the driver that night. After being arrested, he spent 30 days in custody, while Meloche stayed in jail for 45 days until she was released on bail.

“I just felt really bad about what happened,” Melok told the court after the judge gave the brothers a chance to speak before the sentencing.

“I’m sorry for everything – I’ve definitely learned a lesson,” Flair said.

Judge Perfetto described it as a “high-profile case” in the local community, and he will announce his verdict on April 11.

dschmidt@postmedia.com

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