Closing submissions are expected to continue Wednesday in the B.C. Supreme Court trial of a man accused of shooting someone in a crack-shack shake-down.

Prosecutor Don Mann told Justice Dev Dley the Crown believes there is sufficient evidence — both direct and circumstantial — to link Brandon Schell, 28, to a Nov. 5, 2011, shooting at a downtown crack apartment.

The Crown alleges Schell was a drug enforcer who threatened crack addicts who were gathered in a downtown apartment. Schell and another man, known to the group as Cheddar and Trey, threatened everyone and said they had to purchase drugs only from them.

When Arthur Burley stood to protest, Schell fired a bullet through his shoulder, the Crown says.
While at least six people were in the room that night, only one — Robert Lessard, who was sleeping in a bedroom and awakened by the shot — said he saw Schell with the gun in his hand. Another, witness, however, said Lessard did not wake until hours after the shooting.

Defence lawyer Sheldon Tate did not call any evidence.

Mann told the court Tuesday all the evidence weighed together is sufficient to prove Schell was the shooter.

“It’s the Crown’s contention the name of the shooter (Cheddar) can be combined with other evidence to prove (Schell’s) guilt in this case, to prove the issue of identification,” Mann said.

Schell’s trial started earlier this month.