MN Man Sentenced For Critically Wounding Boy in Drive-by Shooting

St. Paul, MN (KROC-AM News) - A Minnesota man was sentenced today for a drive-by shooting on New Years Eve that critically injured a young boy.

St. Paul police reported that the shooting occurred just before midnight on December 31, 2023 while a woman was celebrating the arrival of the new year by recording a video of her children dancing with her in their home. According to court documents, the video shows the woman dancing with the shooting victim and other children with music playing in the background when gunshots rang out and the video ended.

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The criminal complaint that was filed against 27-year-old Morris Robert Chie Ryan of New Hope indicates that the officers that responded to the shooting found the 10-year-old shooting victim bleeding from a gunshot wound to his stomach and buttock. The boy was transported to Regions Hospital in St. Paul with what police described as a life-threatening injury and acute blood loss. Medical records indicated the bullet that struck his abdomen punctured his bladder, small intestine, rectum, and bowel.

Court records state that investigators located seven 9 mm casings in the alley adjacent to the family's home and discovered 10 bullet holes in a window near the home's kitchen. Surveillance video was used to identify a suspect vehicle and investigators learned that it was registered to Ryan.

The case went to trial in July and a Ramsey County jury found Ryan guilty of second-degree attempted murder, and three counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon.

At his sentencing hearing this morning, Ryan was handed a 327 month prison term, which is just over 27 years. He was given credit for the 251 days he spent in jail following his arrest.