Gamblin Admits To Manslaughter In Summer Death

A 20-year-old Saint John man accused of killing another man last summer has changed his plea in the case.

Tyler Gamblin had pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Nathan Roger Gallant, 29.

But when Gamblin appeared in court Monday to set a date for his jury trial, he pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.

Gallant was found with stab wounds along Route 825 in Fairfield on July 8, 2020, and later died in the hospital.

A Canada-wide warrant was issued for Gamblin soon after and he was arrested by the RCMP near Woodstock on July 23 following a tip from Crime Stoppers.

Gamblin also entered guilty pleas for an assault on two Saint John police officers in October 2019 and an attempted break and enter at Roy’s Army Surplus less than two months later.

He was asked by Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Darrell Stevenson if he was pleading guilty of his own free will, to which he responded, “yup.”

A small group in the gallery heard Crown prosecutor Chris Titus relay a statement of facts.

He said Gamblin had no criminal record prior to the incidents in the fall of 2019.

On October 24, 2019, police were called about a young man carrying a hunting knife in the uptown core.

There were concerns he would hurt himself.

As Gamblin approached police he kept repeating, “I just want to go home” and was asked seven times by officers to drop the knife.

He was tasered and fell to the ground.

One officer said this incident was the closest in his 15-year policing career that he came to shooting someone.

The officer said Gamblin taunted police saying “just do it” as he approached carrying the knife.

Once in custody, officers found more knives on Gamblin.

Gamblin agreed with the facts but said he doesn’t remember them as he was on drugs, having consumed marijuana and several Clonazepam pills.

On December 12, 2019, police responded to a reported break and enter at Roy’s Army Surplus on Canterbury Street.

A witness noticed someone break a window at the business and called police.

A chase followed throughout the uptown core ending in a parking lot on Union Street when Gamblin ran full steam into a police cruiser, injuring his leg.

He admitted to also being on drugs during this incident.

Police found he was in possession of a hatchet and other items.

Gamblin agreed with the facts as read in court.

A sentencing hearing for Gamblin is scheduled for March 9 at 9:30 a.m.