A Toronto man has plead guilty to manslaughter, and other charges, in relation to a shooting outside the Northway Restaurant in 2022.
During a Thursday court appearance at the Quinte Consolidated Courthouse, 30-year-old Jeremy David Philip pleaded guilty to manslaughter, by using a 9mm handgun in the killing of 34-year-old Jesse Weekes.
In the agreed upon statement of facts read in court, the incident occurred at just before 2 a.m. on July 10, 2022. Police were called to the scene where behind the building they found Weekes with seven gunshot wounds. After administering aid, Weekes was taken to the hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.
Police learned from witnesses that a black vehicle was seen leaving the scene quickly, heading north on North Front Street.
Police forensic officers processed the scene and found 11 9mm shell casings and a double-bladed knife at the scene. The knife had both Weekes’s and Philip’s DNA on it. The shells were determined to have all come from the same gun. They also found blood drops and smears in the area.
Police learned from confidential sources after the shooting that Philip was the one who shot Weekes. Further investigation led police to speak to Philip’s foster mother on the morning of the shooting, who said that Philip had called her and said he’d been stabbed in the head, and shot the person who did it.
The police obtained OHIP records for Philip, that showed he was treated at North York General Hospital on July 13 for a wound on his head. Police witnessed him on July 20 with bandages on his head.
Police obtained a warrant for his arrest, and on December 12 2022, Philip was arrested in Pickering. When he was arrested, he was found to be in possession of a loaded 9mm handgun, which is a restricted firearm. A later search of his apartment, under a warrant, found an extended 9mm magazine with 28 rounds of ammunition, making it a restricted device. Testing by police found that this handgun was not the one used during the shooting.
In addition to one count of manslaughter, Philip plead guilty to one count of possessing a loaded restricted firearm, and also one count of possessing a restricted device, a high capacity magazine.
Philip’s sentencing has been set for August 30.
