Romone Bowen is returning to prison, a chilling echo of a decade ago. The circumstances surrounding his two shootings are disturbingly similar, painting a picture of repeated, reckless violence. This time, a 12-year sentence was handed down for a brazen attack in a Richmond Row parking lot.
The August 2023 shooting unfolded as bars emptied for the night. Bowen, alongside an associate, followed a man and his friends from a bar, escalating a simmering tension into a violent confrontation. In the crowded parking lot, Bowen, concealed by a dark hoodie, unleashed eight shots at close range.
Justice Lynne Leitch, while acknowledging the severity of the crime as “brazen” and “disturbing,” stopped short of the Crown’s request for a maximum 16-year sentence. She recognized the need for a harsher penalty than Bowen’s previous eight-year term, but deemed doubling it excessive.
Bowen’s defense painted a portrait of a man shaped by a difficult upbringing. Raised in Toronto’s Regent Park, a neighborhood plagued by poverty and violence, he was exposed to criminal activity from a young age. His lawyer argued this environment contributed to his “poor decision-making.”
The defense pleaded for leniency, highlighting Bowen’s relatively sparse criminal record and the brutal realities of the jail system. They described harsh conditions – lockdowns, overcrowding, and a recent attack after being isolated due to his race – arguing an overly harsh sentence would lead to complete institutionalization.
However, the Crown countered with a stark assessment: a pattern of dangerous behavior. The two shootings, they argued, “effectively mirrored” each other, demonstrating a disturbing proclivity for violence with firearms. The London shooting, they emphasized, was unprovoked, leaving the victim unarmed and vulnerable.
The victim, Andrew Kanoun, endured a month-long hospital stay, undergoing multiple surgeries to address gunshot wounds to his abdomen, groin, and legs. He continues to suffer pain and complications, a lasting consequence of Bowen’s actions. His silence in submitting a victim impact statement spoke volumes about the trauma inflicted.
Justice Leitch underscored the gravity of Bowen’s disregard for a weapons prohibition order, imposed specifically to protect public safety. She acknowledged a potential for rehabilitation, noting Bowen’s age, new role as a parent, and completion of educational programs while incarcerated.
Despite the mitigating factors, the court recognized the profound danger posed by Bowen’s actions. He and his associate were the instigators, actively pursuing and then violently confronting Kanoun. The potential for harm to innocent bystanders in the crowded parking lot was a significant concern.
With credit for time already served, Bowen faces eight years remaining on his sentence. He is now subject to a lifetime weapons prohibition and ordered to provide a DNA sample, barred from any contact with the victim and those connected to the shooting. The cycle of violence, for now, is paused, but the echoes of his choices will resonate for years to come.
