Gastown gunman convicted of 1st-degree murder

Imran Sharif was found guilty Wednesday of first-degree murder in the 2003 shooting deaths of two people outside a Vancouver nightclub.

Rachel Davis, 23, and Richard Hui, 24, wereeach shot in thehead with a semi-automatic handgun in front of the Purple Onion bar, located in the city's Gastown district,in January 2003.

It's believed Davis wasgunned downafter trying to stop a stranger from being beaten up outside the club.

Sharif, 25,was also found guilty of five counts of attempted murder and five counts of aggravated assault in the shootings of five other people standing nearby.

His first-degree murder convictions trigger an automatic life sentence in prison, with noparole eligibility for 25 years.

Justice Robert Edwards said the shootings were "cowardly, despicable crimes that horrified a community."

Davis's mother, the well-known actress Janet Wright, said the incident is "sad all around."

"Obviously we're all relieved, partly that it's over and hopefully that at some point this young man will show some remorse," Wright said. "That's all I care about."

Actor Bruce Davisdescribed the man who killed hisdaughter as "a psychopath."

"He has absolutely no remorse for what he's done," said Davis."He would be an extremely dangerous person to be out in society and that's how I feel right now."

Weeping and surrounded by friends and family, Richard Hui's older sister, Gloria, had nothing but praise for those involved in the prosecution.

"I want everyone to know that what I've seen here the last month is the justice system at its best," she said.

The trial lasted almost seven weeks.