Man Sentenced for Role in Rollingstone Drive-By Shootings
Rollingstone, MN (KROC-AM News) - A former Winona man has been given a jail sentence for his involvement in a series of shootings in a small southeastern Minnesota town last year.
Man Sentenced for Role in Rollingstone Shootings
32-year-old Damien Lamont Smith Jr. of Marshfield, Wisconsin, has been ordered to serve a staggered sentence totaling 80 days in jail in 20-day increments over the next three years. He has also been placed on probation for five years and was given a stayed prison sentence of 36 months that he could be required to serve if he violates his probation. His sentencing order filed in Winona County Court also indicates that portions of his 80-day jail sentence could be forgiven if he is successful in completing his probation.
Smith entered a guilty plea in May to a charge of drive-by shooting toward an occupied vehicle or building. He was originally charged with drive-by shooting involving an occupied building.
Gunfire Struck Multiple Homes
According to the criminal complaint in the case, Smith was accused of firing a gun in the direction of three homes in Rollingstone on the night of May 24, 2025. One of the houses was vacant at the time of the shooting, but the other two were occupied.
Family Was Watching TV When a Bullet Entered Their Livingroom
In one of the homes, court documents say a married couple and their two children were watching TV when they heard three gunshots, and one of the bullets entered their living room. Winona County deputies later found three spent shell casings on the road in front of the home and two bullet holes in the house's exterior. Another two bullet holes were found in a neighboring home, where there were no people present.
A Nearby Home Also Hit by Gunfire
The criminal complaint says another shooting was reported a few blocks away. The two occupants of a residence told deputies they noticed the vehicle driving past slowly and then heard two loud bangs. A bullet hole was later found in their attached garage.
Investigation Leads to Suspects
The investigation later led to a Winona woman, who told investigators that she, her boyfriend, her three daughters and her oldest daughter's boyfriend had attended a quinceañera in Rollingstone the night of the shootings. Her vehicle matched the description of the one seen driving past one of the homes that was struck by gunfire.
According to the charges, one of the juveniles who was in the vehicle told investigators that the woman's boyfriend had taken a gun from his backpack and fired it in the direction of the houses. The juvenile identified the boyfriend as Smith Jr. The same witness also told investigators that 21-year-old Kimari Jatovian Jordan fired a gun through the open window of the vehicle.
A search of Smith's home led to the discovery of a 9 mm handgun and ammunition matching the shell casings found at the crime scenes.
Second Defendant Also Sentenced
Jordan previously entered an Alford plea to a drive-by shooting charge. The plea means he does not admit guilt but acknowledges there is enough evidence for a conviction. He was sentenced to five years of probation and was not required to spend any additional time in jail.
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Gallery Credit: troy dunken
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