A Vaughan man on trial for first-degree murder after a deadly shooting outside Scotiabank Arena three years ago has pleaded not guilty, though it is a fact that he was the shooter.
Nirusan Shakespearethas admits that on July 16, 2022, he shot 24-year-old Stephen Little-McClacken in the corner of the courtyard on Bremner Boulevard at York Street before the accused fled the scene.
Superior Court Justice Maureen Forestell has heard Shakespeareathas’ lawyers will be arguing he should be found not criminally responsible (NCR) due to a mental disorder which rendered him incapable of knowing the wrongfulness of his actions.
Crown prosecutors will argue that the NCR defence is not available to the accused.
In an extensive agreed statement of facts read out in court, assistant Crown prosecutor David Parry said Shakespearethas, who was 26 at the time, lived on the second floor of his family home in Vaughan.
The accused had known Little-McClacken by his rap name “YB Stainz” since 2019 or 2020. The two men would speak on the phone and message each other on various applications, including Instagram and WhatsApp.
On the night of the shooting, around 7:30 p.m., Shakespearethas approached Little-McClacken who was in the corner of the courtyard next to the Scotiabank Arena, drew a handgun and fired 12 rounds at the victim.
At least eight rounds struck Little-McClacken, at least two in the head, one in the torso and several to his arm.
When first responders arrived, Little-McClacken was located alone, lying on his back with obvious signs of trauma to his head, arm and hand. The backpack he was wearing was still on his back. Little-McClacken was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy found his cause of death was gunshot wounds to the head and torso.
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A total of 12 gun casings were found at the scene.
According to the facts, a man who worked at as a manager at a restaurant that has a patio next to the courtyard where the shooting happened heard four to five gunshots and saw a man lying on the ground. The manager saw another man standing overtop, pointing his right hand extended, before the man fired an additional four to five shots towards the man on the ground. The manager reported a 10-15 second gap between the two gunshot volleys. He then saw the shooter flee.
A friend who was with Little-McClacken just before the shooting said he knew Little-McClacken planned to meet another friend in the area to collect money from that friend.
“He saw an individual walk up to him, pull a handgun and fire directly. No words had been uttered prior, during or after the shooting and there had been no interaction between the two,” said Parry.
That friend said he fled the scene after the shooting before eventually returning to the scene.
An extensive compilation of video surveillance was shown in court, which captured Shakespearethas arriving and leaving the scene via Go Train at Union Station and his subsequent movements.
When officers arrested the accused and executed a search warrant more than three days later, they recovered black shoes which matched shoes Shakespearethas was seen wearing in video surveillance. A speck of blood on those shoes was swabbed and sent for testing. Parry said Little-McClacken’s DNA could not be excluded as the contributor of the blood stain.
Police also located a nine millimetre semi-automatic pistol in a garbage can at the Oshawa Go Train station where the accused travelled to after the shooting. The magazine was empty but had the capacity to fire 12 bullets.
A fingerprint was lifted from the handgun which matched the accused. The gun was sent for ballistics testing. The results confirmed the 12 cartridge casings located at the shooting scene had been fired from this handgun.
The facts also state that when Shakespearethas was arrested after midnight on July 20, 2022, after the Toronto Police Emergency Task Force (ETF) breached his door and called out to surrender, he came to the door and walked out not wearing shoes.
In the booking video, the accused can be seen not wearing shoes nor did he ever ask for them.
Shakespearethas, his haired tied back in a ponytail wearing a blue blazer and white dress shirt, sat quietly in the prisoner’s box Wednesday, staring straight ahead.
Jillian Little, left, and Vanessa Little, the mother and sister of Stephen Little-McClacken are pictured in Toronto on Nov. 5, 2025. The trial of the man alleged to have murdered Little-McClacken is ongoing.
Global News
Little-McClacken’s mother and two sisters also attended court, wearing white T-shirts with a photo of a smiling Little-McClacken on the front. The words, “Forever in our Hearts,” written over the picture.
Outside court, the family told Global News they are seeking justice and believes the judge will find Shakespearethas guilty of murder.
“It’s such an emotional time for me and my family. It’s such a bad time and I can’t believe he’s gone,” said Jillian Little, the victim’s mother.
“It’s been an emotional whirlwind for us, especially with the trial starting,” the victim’s older sister, Vanessa Little said, adding she was surprised he pleaded not guilty given all the evidence. “I really hope that we do get justice for my brother.”
The trial continues.
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
