A Saskatoon judge heard Friday that a 12-year-old boy was fatally shot while drinking vodka and playing with a loaded sawed-off shotgun with his two friends, aged 12 and 13.

The three men filmed themselves drinking and pointing the rifle and bear spray at each other, according to an agreed statement of facts presented to the court.

“It was reckless and senseless,” prosecutor Shaela Verma said. “Any of the three could have been shot.”

The two surviving boys were charged with manslaughter after the Feb. 19 shooting. The 12-year-old pleaded guilty last month to criminal negligence causing death and appeared in court Friday for sentencing. His co-defendants will be tried next year.

Judge Lisa Watson accepted a joint sentencing recommendation from Verma and defense attorney Brian Pfefferle. The boy will remain in custody for 16 months, followed by eight months of intense community supervision, then 12 months of probation.

Pfefferle said the boy, who is now 13, took responsibility for his actions from the start. He said the ages of everyone involved was troubling.

“We have before you a child, acting like a child, but without care or supervision,” he said.

According to the statement of facts, the boys were in a bedroom inside a home on Matheson Drive. They were in possession of bear spray and a sawed-off shotgun. All three posed, took photos and videos with the gun in an attempt to appear as gangsters.

“As part of the investigation, officers seized cell phones belonging to (the boys). (Saskatoon police) analyzed telephone data taken from cell phones. After reviewing the videos and photographs taken that night, you see (the boys) had been drinking a 26-ounce bottle of Absolut vodka for about three to three and a half hours,” he said.

“During this time, you see (the boys) take turns pointing the gun and the bear spray at each other. (The 13-year-old) is seen unloading and load ammunition into the firearm.”

The time code of the final video viewed by police showed it was recorded less than a minute before the shooting, according to the facts.

Watson spoke to the victim’s family in court after sentencing.

“A child has lost his life and the lives of two of them are irrevocably and forever changed,” she said.

“I hope you continue to remember him with love.”