Southern Minnesota Man Sent Prison For Shooting in Late March

Winona, MN (KROC-AM News)  One of the two men charged with a recent shooting at a southeastern Minnesota apartment complex has already been shipped to prison for his role in the violent incident.

20-year-old Jayden Jessie recently admitted to a second-degree assault charge. The guilty plea was part of a plea deal that included the dismissal of felony counts of ineligible possession of a firearm and reckless discharge of a firearm.

According to the criminal complaint in the case, Jessie was arrested on the night of March 31st after Winona Police responded to an apartment complex to check on reports of gunfire. When they arrived at the scene, the officers were told two men had been fighting and one of the men opened fire with a handgun before everyone at the scene scattered.

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The court document indicates one bullet struck a building within the public housing complex and another bullet was found on the ground. The bullet that struck the building ended up in the shower area off an unoccupied unit and no injuries were reported.

The criminal complaint also indicates the incident was recorded through a surveillance camera. It shows Jessie and another man fighting before Jessie walked away from the confrontation and was handed an object that another man had just pulled out of his waistband. The court document says investigators identified the other man as Derrell Walker.

The video recording of the shooting then shows Jessie getting into a shooting stance, raising his right arm, and firing what appears to be a handgun in the direction of the man he had been fighting. As the crowd scatters, the video shows Jessie lowering his arm and running to an apartment.

Winona Police later located and arrested Jessie, who denied being involved in the fight and shooting. He was sentenced last week to 3 years in prison with credit for the 81 days he spent in jail following his arrest. According to the Minnesota Department of Corrections, Jessie will become eligible for early release from prison in late March of 2027.

The man accused of handing him the gun used in the shooting is facing 4 felony charges and is due in court for an evidentiary hearing in August.