The owners of a Maple Ridge turkey farm said they were relieved after the man who burst through their front door firing a loaded gun was handed a four-year prison sentence.
Dustin Born was silent in the courtroom and listened attentively to Judge Jeffrey Campbell as he read out the sentence Thursday afternoon, Oct. 3, in the Port Coquitlam court house.
Born received four years for break and enter, to be served concurrently with a three-month sentence for killing the Brooks family's German shepherd Walle. Immediately after the sentencing Born was handcuffed and led through a separate door to be transported to prison.
"I am satisfied," said Dudley Brooks outside the courthouse.
"I was afraid he would get something like two years less a day and sit at home and have a bracelet and, you know, not feel the depth of what had happened. But he did and he got more than I thought," said Dudley. "I think that's pretty fair."
Shumei said she was nervous sitting in the court room, but agreed with her husband that four years is a significant amount of time for Born, to be away from his family and children.
"And time alone to think about what he has done," she said. "I hope that would mean something so that he will not hurt people," she said, noting that she was also happy about the message it sends to others.
Born also received a lifetime ban on owning and possessing firearms and an additional 10 year ban from when he is released from prison on owning or possessing other firearm items like crossbows, restricted weapons, firearm parts, ammunition, or explosive substances.
Judge Campbell recounted the events of Oct. 5, 2022, when the Abbotsford man kicked in the front door of the Brooks' family home, in the 26000 block of Lougheed Highway, shooting Shumei in the abdomen and shooting and killing their family dog, Walle.
Dudley was in the kitchen at the time and said Born also aimed the gun at him, but he ducked behind the island, trying to figure out what to do, scared that Born would walk around the counter at any moment to shoot him as well.
"Menacingly. He just looked fiercely at me," said Dudley, describing how Born put the butt of the gun to his shoulder, aimed at him, and looked ready to pull the trigger.
Born did not go after Dudley that night, but instead fled the scene.
The Brooks family hired Born and his company Twin Maple Construction Ltd. in July 2020 to build a turkey barn for their business, Skyacres Turkey Ranches Ltd. However, court documents revealed that although construction began soon after, the relationship between Born and the Brooks’ family soured and the contract was terminated in December 2020.
A notice of civil claim was filed that year, seeking damages from Born, accusing him of refusing to fulfill the contract, and also for trespassing, assault and battery, the discharge of a builders’ lien that Born and his company had placed on their property, and a fine.
On Jan. 5, the following year, Born and his company filed their own notice of civil claim against the turkey farm and all three of the Brooks, for debt or contractual damages in addition to damages for the value of their services, even though the work remained uncompleted – as well as “punitive and aggravated damages.”
"A dispute is one thing," noted Shumei about the ongoing civil dispute over the building of the turkey barn. "To be so violent, hurtful, that shouldn't be."
The small courtroom was packed with 11 supporters of Born's family and friends, who easily filled two rows of seats behind him during the sentencing.
Judge Campbell noted he took into account Born's poor mental health at the time of the incident, and mitigating factors like his engagement with treatment, his cooperation with his arrest and the ensuing investigation, and support from his family and the community as a good husband and friend.
However, Campbell wondered if Born lacked insight into his actions on Oct. 5, and if the continuing civil proceedings might be a risk factor for him to re-offend.
Ultimately the judge noted that the sentence for Born should be significant, given the fact he endangered a number of lives, saying somebody could have been killed.
"I thought the judge was leading to give him a nice, easy sentence, and it sure surprised me when he said the four years and I feel satisfied with that," said Dudley. Although, he added, he is worried about parole.
Federal offenders are normally eligible for full parole after serving one-third of their sentence, or seven years, whichever is less. And, the Government of Canada website notes, different eligibility rules apply for offenders serving life sentences for murder or indeterminate sentences. But, being eligible for parole, does not mean parole will be granted. The protection of society is the overriding consideration in any release decision, said the site.
Defence lawyer Jeffrey Ray declined to comment on the sentence for his client, but did say it would be up to his client if he wanted to appeal the sentence.
Shumei still questions why Born attacked her when, court records show, he has been involved with at least four different civil suits with different companies since 2022.
Now they just want the lien removed from their property so they can move on with their lives.
