A 13-year prison sentence was handed to Riley Collin Gullickson by a Saskatoon judge, who succinctly summarized the case in only 33 words. The judge highlighted that Gullickson had violently attacked a random individual without provocation, causing severe and life-altering injuries with the intent to kill. Gullickson, aged 26, pleaded guilty to attempted murder for assaulting James Graham outside a Salvation Army building in Saskatoon on August 20, 2023, while under the influence of methamphetamine. The entire incident was captured on video surveillance.
The judge described how Gullickson was observed pacing in front of the building before targeting Graham, who was sleeping on the sidewalk. Gullickson proceeded to kick and stomp on Graham’s head, inflicting brutal harm. He also used a knife to cut Graham’s neck, leaving him with grave injuries. Graham spent over 400 days in the hospital and has not fully recovered, requiring constant care due to cognitive impairments, being wheelchair-bound, and incontinent, with little hope of improvement.
A pre-sentence report revealed Gullickson’s troubling history of methamphetamine use since the age of 17 and a criminal record of more than 40 offenses. Despite being out of custody for only four days before the assault on Graham, Gullickson displayed a lack of remorse or intent to change his behavior. With time served, Gullickson has a remaining sentence of 10 years.