Second Suspect in Drive-By Shooting in Small Winona County Town Pleads Guilty

Rollingstone, MN (KROC-AM News) - A second man has admitted to his involvement in a series of shootings in the southeastern Minnesota town of Rollingstone last year.

Late Night Shooting in Small SE Minnesota Community

According to court documents, the first shooting was reported in the Winona County community around 11:30 p.m. on May 24. The criminal complaint says deputies spoke with a man who stated he was inside his home with his wife and two children watching TV when he heard three gunshots, and one of the bullets entered the living room of the residence.

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Two Homes Hit by Gunfire

The investigating deputies found three spent shell casings on the road in front of the house and located two bullet holes in the home's exterior. The court document says further inspection led to the discovery of two more bullet holes in a neighboring home, which was vacant at the time of the shooting.

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Another Shooting a A few Blocks Away

The investigation into the first shooting also led to the discovery of bullet holes at a property located a few blocks away from the first crime scene. A spent shell casing was found in the road, and the two occupants of the house told deputies they noticed a vehicle driving past slowly and then heard two loud bangs. A bullet hole was later found in their attached garage.

The criminal complaint says no one was injured and it appeared the homes struck by the gunfire were selected at random.

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Suspects Attended Quinceanera in Rollingstone

The criminal complaints filed in the case say the investigation 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 the shootings occurred. Her vehicle matched the description of the one spotted at the third residence.

Juvenile Witness

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 31-year-old Damien Lamont Smith Jr. The same witness also told investigators that 22-year-old Kimari Jatovian Jordan fired a gun through the open window of the vehicle.

Winona County Jail photo

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.

Charged With Drive-by Shooting

Both men were charged with drive-by shooting involving an occupied building. Last month, Jordan entered an Alford plea to an amended charge of drive-by shooting involving an unoccupied building. He is scheduled to be sentenced next month. An Alford plea means he does not admit guilt, but acknowledges there is sufficient evidence to convict him.

Plea Agreement

Smith has now entered into a similar plea agreement and has pleaded guilty to the charge of drive-by shooting toward an unoccupied vehicle or building. He is scheduled to be sentenced in July, and court documents indicate Winona County prosecutors will request a six-month jail sentence.

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