The man accused of shooting at a Winnipeg home was in the Canadian military

The man accused of fatally shooting four people in Winnipeg's West Broadway neighborhood last weekend had been a member of the Canadian Armed Forces for 11 years, a court heard earlier this year.

Jamie Randy Felix was arrested Friday morning and charged with four counts of second-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.

Court records show Felix had no criminal record until recently, when he was placed on probation after pleading guilty to assault causing bodily harm, with a two-year suspended sentence.

The charge stems from an incident at an apartment party in August 2021 in which an intoxicated man fell down the stairs, the regional court heard on March 3 this year.

The man spent nine days in hospital suffering from night-related memory loss and occasional bouts of dizziness, but otherwise made a full recovery, a court heard.

During a hearing in March, Crown attorney Tim Chudy told the court that Felix was a military veteran with 11 years of service, reaching the rank of corporal.

It is unclear if Felix was an active member of the Canadian Armed Forces or was in March. CBC News has reached out to the Department of National Defense for comment.

Felix's Instagram page posted several pictures of him in military uniform.

In an interview with CBC Radio in 2020 Now or neverFelix described himself as a “Canadian soldier” who worked in an office.

One of the few Instagram photos of Jamie Felix in military uniform. (Jamie Randy Felix/Instagram)

He said he struggled with addiction after killing his twin brother in 2012, but later found help through a men's support group.

He also described growing up in a “toxic” environment where those around him abused drugs and alcohol.

He turned to fitness, saying in a 2020 interview that “I tried to quit my whole life so I wouldn't go back to that lifestyle.”

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Retired Lance Corporal Melvin Swan told the CBC on Friday that he met Felix when the young man enrolled in Bold Eagle, a military training program for indigenous youth.

Swann said he believed Felix joined the Canadian Army Reserves after the program, but lost track of him over the years.

“When I was in a relationship with him, he was a respectful, good guy,” said Akku, adding that he also knew Felix's mother and twin brother.

“I did everything I could to help him.”

The news of Felix's arrest shocked Swan.

“I don't know what to do about it. … My heart goes out to the families.”

“I'm sorry for what I did”

During the hearing in March, the court also heard that Felix was the only person to claim responsibility for the incident in August 2021 and handed himself in to police two days later and made a full statement about his involvement.

“However, there are probably many better ways to deal with a heavily intoxicated person who has fallen down the stairs,” Chudy said.

The Crown also noted that Felix's pre-sentence report rated him as a moderate risk of reoffending, which Chudy said “seemed a little high to me … for someone who had never been in trouble with the law at all and was law abiding.”

Felix's attorney, Laura Robinson, described her client as someone who made a positive contribution to society but struggled with addiction.

Winnipeg police announced Friday, Dec. 1, 2023, that 32-year-old Jamie Felix was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in connection with a Nov. 26 mass shooting that left four people dead. It is depicted in this picture. From the Instagram page. (Jamie Randy Felix/Instagram)

Robinson said Felix had one treatment and left early, but has since started filling out applications for another treatment facility and wants to go back to school to finish his business degree.

According to the lawyer, the main focus in sentencing the person under his protection should be to support him “so that he does not appear before the court”.

“But given his lack of record, it looks like he's on the right track,” Robinson said.

The CBC listened to the court transcripts. When given the opportunity to speak for himself, Felix spoke softly and apologized for his actions.

“I should have handled it better, but I regret what I did,” he said.

Conditions of his suspended sentence include participation in any counseling or program administered by the probation service. He was also prohibited from owning or possessing a weapon during his probation.

Judge Sandra Chapman told Felix that she saw him as someone who had dealt with significant challenges, “from his perspective, it's heartwarming to see how hard you've worked to overcome those challenges.”

“You can really be an individual who can help your community, on the one hand, by understanding what they're going through,” Chapman said.

He also thanked the two attorneys for agreeing to a joint sentencing proposal that would not see Felix serve prison time.

“It could have gone very differently and we could have had Mr Felix in custody. Fortunately, that's not what's happening here.”