Kingston standoff shooter appears in court

Barry Scott Wood appeared in the Kingston court of Her Worship Justice of the Peace Karen Baum today for a bail hearing, 14 months after he was charged as the result of a crime spree that culminated in a standoff with Kingston Police in September of 2022. 

B. Khanna, an articling student, appeared on behalf of Wood’s defence team to request a four-week adjournment of the matter as they sought a psychiatric assessment for their client. Wood, who appeared virtually, has remained in custody since his arrest on September 9, 2022. Baum granted the adjournment and scheduled Wood’s next court appearance.

Around the noon hour of Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022, Kingston Police responded to a report of an assault with a weapon, which occurred on a Kingston Transit bus in the area of the Kingston Centre. One person on the bus had been stabbed.

The accused, who was identified by police as Barry Scott Wood, was located later that day but refused to leave his apartment located at the corner of Portsmouth Avenue and Princess Street. This resulted in a standoff of more than 24 hours with Kingston Police and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Tactics and Rescue Unit.

During the negotiations, the accused fired a shot from a high-powered rifle at officers, which resulted in one officer being struck by shrapnel. The officer was transported by Frontenac Paramedics to the hospital, where they received treatment and were later released.

Shortly after 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 9, 2022, the accused peacefully surrendered to police and was taken into custody.

Barry Scott Wood will next appear in court on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023.

With files from Cris Vilela.