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Gunfight combatant denied parole

A Parole Board of Canada panel has denied early release to a man serving a four-year sentence for his role in an exchange of gunfire outside a Prince George drug house and a subsequent manhunt.
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A Parole Board of Canada panel has denied early release to a man serving a four-year sentence for his role in an exchange of gunfire outside a Prince George drug house and a subsequent manhunt.

Cody Aubrey Lornsten, 33, is serving the sentence for an Oct. 17, 2017 incident that began when he walked into a known drug house in the 2000 block of Tamarack Street and came across some people he did not get along with.

What happened next was the subject of video footage retrieved from the home's security camera.

As Lornsten exited a side door into the home's driveway, Michael Campbell-Alexander, who left the home from another door, stationed himself at one end of the driveway and opened fire.

Lornsten, in turn, shot back with a shotgun he claimed to have found inside the home. Lornsten was hit in the thigh with a .22-calibre round and his dog, which he had on a leash, was shot dead. Campbell-Alexander, now serving a 5 1/2-year sentence was hit in the ankle with bird shot.

Despite the wound, Lornsten managed to escape. Police tracked him to an apartment building in Quesnel where he was found with the shotgun, along with 17 rounds of shells.

In reaching its decision, issued Dec. 5, the panel found that while Lornsten has been making progress, it remained concerned about his ability to make good choices while incarcerated. Specifically, he admitted to smoking cannabis when he was selected for a random drug test and took responsibility for a tattoo rig found in another inmate's cell.

By waiting until the drug test to admit he had consumed the cannabis, a panel member found he effectively lied by omission. On the tattoo rig, Lornsten told the panel he took ownership under threat from another inmate.

The panel also found he lacked a viable release plan and recommended he work towards transfer to a minimum security institution from the medium-security one he is currently serving his time in.

Lornsten was issued his sentence on Nov. 9, 2018 after he had pleaded guilty to two firearms counts and one count of breaching an undertaking. Nine other counts, including aggravated assault and unlawfully discharging a firearm, were stayed.

Less credit for time served prior to sentencing, he had a further two years six months and 17 days left to serve at that time.