Felony Guilty Plea Filed in Rochester BB Gun Shooting Incident

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A Rochester man has admitted to a felony charge connected to a BB gun shooting in Rochester last year.

Olmsted County court records indicate 22-year-old Ashton Charles Hyde has entered a guilty plea to a charge of 2nd-degree assault with a dangerous weapon. Under the terms of a plea agreement, a gross misdemeanor charge of carrying a BB gun in a public place and a misdemeanor assault charge were dismissed.

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Victim Says Argument Escalated Into Shooting

The criminal complaint against Hyde states that Rochester police responded to a report of an assault in southeast Rochester on the evening of March 25, 2025. The victim told officers that Hyde threatened him with a BB gun while the two were arguing over a THC vape cartridge and then chased him and shot him in the leg with the BB gun.

Rochester police squad vehicle

Victim Feared Being Run Over

The victim also alleged that Hyde then got into his vehicle and drove after him as he was running away, causing the victim to fear he would be run over. The court document says two witnesses told police they saw Hyde chasing the victim with a BB gun, and one stated that multiple BB rounds fired by Hyde struck his vehicle.

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According to the criminal complaint, Rochester police later located Hyde's vehicle and executed a high-risk traffic stop due to the possibility that weapons were present. Officers reported finding a BB gun in the vehicle, along with additional BB rounds and a CO2 tank.

Previous Felony Conviction

Court records show that Hyde has one previous felony conviction stemming from a break-in at a sporting goods store in Goodhue County that resulted in a sentence of three years of probation. He is scheduled to be sentenced for the BB gun incident in September.