Prison for cop shooter

The Canadian Press -CASTANET Mar 17, 2016 / 1:15 pm
A man who shot a Mountie at a traffic stop in Kamloops, has been sentenced to 16 and a half years in prison. Kenneth Knutson, 38, pleaded guilty to attempted murder earlier Thursday before a judge accepted joint submissions for the sentence from Crown and defence lawyers. Knutson shot Cpl. Jean-Rene Michaud in December 2014, and was arrested after a 12-hour manhunt. He arrived in court wearing orange prison garb and periodically peered into the gallery, where 10 officers were seated, including Michaud and his wife Colleen Michaud. Knutson was ordered to stand trial after a preliminary hearing last December before entering a guilty plea Thursday. Other charges, including aggravated assault and two firearms-related offences, were dropped against him. Court heard Michaud stopped a vehicle in the early hours of Dec. 3, 2014, approaching Knutson from the passenger side after the driver had failed to stop earlier. In a statement read in court, Michaud said the vehicle's rear window was blown out. Then a gunshot hit him in the stomach, and a second shot struck him in his elbow. He did not pull his own gun. Police later determined six shots were fired, and two had lodged in Michaud's bulletproof vest. Michaud endured several surgeries before returning to full-time duties 13 months later. He had worked part-time on administrative duties before returning to his regular job. His wife has said he suffered countless complications and setbacks while recovering from extensive injuries. Mounties have said they are conducting an internal review parallel to the criminal investigation into the shooting. With time served before his guilty plea, Knutson is expected to serve 14 and a half years in prison.