Alberta teen sentenced to 21 months for shooting German tourist in the head

Provincial court Judge George Gaschler gave the teen responsible for the shooting a 21-month sentence. He will be released from custody straight away because of the time he’s already served.

The shooter is now 18-years-old and is from Stoney Nakoda First Nation. He was just 16 at the time of the incident, which took place in August 2018.

"You need the support of your family," Gaschler said, "I encourage you to work together with an elder. I hope you are successful."

A sentencing hearing was held by teleconference and included lawyers Balfour Der, Lisa Burgis Der and prosecutor Dane Rolfe.

Stewin’s son Daniel, wrote a victim impact statement describing the tough changes that have been forced upon his family since the incident.

Daniel says his father may lose his house as he is not able to work anymore.

Horst Stewin has turned “aggressive and violent toward his family” since the shooting, according to Daniel who added that his father struggles with speaking and has considered suicide.

The teen responsible was convicted of recklessly discharging a firearm and aggravated assault last October.

The maximum sentence for the teens convictions is 24 months. Youths that are convicted serve a third of their sentence in the community. The teen will start his seven month community supervision right away.

Stewin was in Alberta with his family to celebrate his 60th birthday. He was there with his wife, his son and his son’s girlfriend on Aug. 2, 2018 when the incident occurred.

Stewin stopped their vehicle to take photos on Stoney Nakoda First Nation land—west of Calgary by approximately 55 kilometers.

Stewin’s wife, Ulrike, said that he likes western culture and rides horses.

When Stewin pulled onto the highway again, a car pulled up to the family with the teen and his friends inside.

Stewin’s son first heard a loud noise and assumed it was one of the vehicle’s tires exploding.

The SUV then swerved off the road and into some trees.

The motive is believed to be mistaken identity. The shooter thought Stewin was a man who previously attacked his brother.

According to Gaschler, the teen “had fallen into a friendship with an adult male,” that was “negative and destructive.” The older male gave the boy meth and alcohol.

When testifying, one of the car’s passengers said that the driver told the boy to shoot.

One of the three passengers in the car said they had all been on meth and alcohol at the time.

Stewin was flown back to Germany after he was transported to the hospital. Doctors in Germany then took eight bullet fragments from his brain.

“All of our lives changed,” Daniel Stewin wrote.

The family “still does not live a normal life.”