A man facing a first-degree murder charge in the shooting of a woman in the east end on Sunday was a federal parolee living in a Toronto half-way house.
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Aaron Shea, 33, has a history of violence, according to police and justice sources, and was sentenced to three years for assaulting a different woman than Sunday’s victim and remains under a life-time firearms prohibition.
Sources said he was initially charged in 2020 with attempting to murder the woman but that was reduced to an assault conviction when the case came to court two years later.
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Yet, despite the recent conviction, a man with a history of violence against a woman was residing in the Walter Huculak House’s Crossroads Program, run the John Howard Society, at 419 Jones Ave., under what is called a statutory release.
Sources say just one female employee was present in the residence — which houses a dozen men on different forms of release — at the time of the fatal shooting at 7:03 p.m. Sunday.
The murder victim in this case – 34-year-old Alisha Brooks – was fired at with up to six shots, but frantically managed to get out the front door before collapsing on the sloping front lawn at the facility.
Veronica Brooks, the mother of Toronto’s 81st homicide victim of 2024 , told CTV News, “Alisha was vibrant, full of energy and truly lit up a room with her presence. She added her daughter’s “laugh was contagious” and she was passionate about her work with the youth and refugees.
“It’s unclear how many rounds struck her,” said a police source.
Toronto Police say “officers attended a call for a shooting at a residence in the Jones Ave. and Hunter St. area” where they alleged “a woman was located out front of a residence who had been shot.
“Life-saving measures were performed, and the woman was transported to hospital where she was pronounced deceased,” said police, adding “the suspect was arrested at the scene.” The victim and suspect were “known to each other.”
Shea, of Toronto, made his first court appearance at the Toronto Regional Bail Centre, 2201 Finch Ave. W., on Monday, where he was remanded in custody until a future date.
Sources said Brooks was his current girlfriend and was in the home under permission from the professionals supervising Shea’s release from prison.
“They felt it was safer if she was able to see him there,” said a source.
If the allegations prove to be true, it turns out it wasn’t.
“She was in the kitchen cooking a meal when she was (allegedly) shot,” said a source. “She ran through the house but was continually being shot at. She eventually got out the front door and collapsed outside.”
Police responded to the scene and arrested Shea and charged him with murder.
“He was standing over her and yelling,” said a source.
Many questions are arising from this terrible tragedy. One is why was such a violent offender was assigned to such a facility located near residential neighbourhoods and two schools? If the allegations are proven true, how was he able to get a gun inside the facility, and why was his girlfriend inside the halfway house?
Correctional Services Canada said it will be investigated.
“While it is not common for such an incident to occur at a community residential facility, it is a serious and tragic incident, and it is important that it be thoroughly reviewed to fully examine the circumstances around what happened,” said CSC in a statement. “To this end, CSC has launched an investigation and will not hesitate to implement any measures, as determined necessary, to further enhance public safety. As there is an active police investigation, we are unable to comment further.”
In addition, CSC added, “our thoughts are with the victim and their family during this difficult time. We are aware of the charges that have been laid against Aaron Shea and that he is in custody. Protecting the safety and security of our communities remains the top priority for the Correctional Service of Canada. To achieve this goal, CSC strives to gradually release and safely reintegrate federal offenders through structured community supervision. This includes statutory release, which is mandated by law, for offenders to serve the final third of their sentence in the community under supervision.”
But this does not lower the concern of people who work within this house or those who work with offenders.
One look at this accused’s past, and it’s a fair to ask why was he in this house. And why was a woman allegedly put in such risk by being inside a place with men on parole?
“This is a very bad situation,” said a one-time staffer. “This can’t be glossed over.”
CSC stated, “please note that Aaron Shea is serving a thee-year-and-one-month sentence for assault, a fail to comply with order, possession of a weapon contrary to prohibition order and break and enter.”
Now he’s going before the courts on first-degree murder. Only this time his alleged victim is not alive to testify.