Mountie shooter regrets 'reckless' wounding

A man on trial for shooting and wounding an off-duty RCMP officer says he regrets his actions.

"If I could take it all back I would," the man testified at his trial in Carrot River, Sask., Thursday. "Nobody deserves that."

The man was 16 at the time of the shooting in 2006 and cannot be named because of his age then.

The Crown prosecutor and defence lawyer have already agreed that the accused fired a rifle that injured Const. Greg Toogood.

Court was toldthethen-boywas worried about Toogood telling his father about his involvement with a break-in in the community and he took the shot to scare the Mountie into leaving.

"I was not trying to hurt anybody," he said during his testimony. "It was fast, it was reckless."

Court had already heard how the boy took his father's high-powered rifle, wrapped his boots in plastic and then went to the officer's home around 8 p.m. CST Jan. 16, 2006.

"As soon as I saw the cross hairs on the door, I shot and then I ran," he said.

Healso told the court how he reacted when he learned Toogood was hit.

"I was upset," he said. "I was like, 'Oh God, Oh God.'"

The manis on trial for discharging a firearm with intent to wound.

His lawyer said motive is central to the case.

"That's the issue," Brian Pfefferle said prior to Thursday's proceedings. "That's what the trial is on."

Crown prosecutor Tom Healey is not commenting on the case.

The trial wrapped up Thursday afternoon.The judge hearing the case did not make a decision right away. A decision was expected July 22.

About a year after the shooting, RCMP officials said Toogood was healing from injuries to his arm and had returned to policing duties.

Carrot River is about 250 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon.