Tom Gill's kids wouldn't play in the backyard for a year after the Bacon brothers were shot at in their Fraser Heights home.

Two years ago, Gill, a Surrey councillor, lived next door to the three notorious Bacon brothers, one of whom – Jamie – now stands accused of playing a role in the so-called Surrey Six slayings.

"The house that they were renting was on the immediate east of my home," Gill told The Leader Tuesday.

In the early morning hours of April 13, 2007, Jamie Bacon was returning home when he was ambushed by gunmen brandishing automatic weapons.

He was saved by the body armour he was wearing. Brother Jonathan also came out of the house wearing body armour.

But the Gill family wasn't spared the trauma of the incident.

"One of the first sounds was the car crashing into the side of the house... and then the next thing you hear, for (lack of a) better choice of words, is firecracker sounds," Gill said.

The sound of the car crash and the gunfire came so close together, he can't recall what woke him.

His family was psychologically terrorized.

"My kids ceased to go out on the trampoline we had in the backyard (for a year)," Gill said. "Believe me, it's true."

Gill has since moved elsewhere, in part because of what happened that day, and also to have his children closer to their school.

The kids, aged six, seven and 12, are in better spirits now that they are in the new home, Gill said.

Jamie and Jarrod Bacon are facing 12 gun and drug-related offences, which were laid following a police search after the gunfire.

Gill will be taking the stand in Surrey Provincial Court on Wednesday afternoon. He expects to be recounting what happened the morning of the shooting.

He admits he's fearful.

He said for the past week, he scans his neighbourhood for unusual activity and has alerted his neighbours to do the same.

"Am I worried? Damn rights I am," Gill said. "God's will, everything will be fine."

kdiakiw@surreyleader.com