Minneapolis man sentenced to 84 months in prison for shooting 13-year-old boy

Hennepin County District Court Judge Kathryn Quaintance sentenced Andrew Townsend, 22, to 84 months in prison for shooting a 13-year-old boy in the back of the head, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced Monday.

On May 7, Townsend admitted he was the shooter in the Oct. 9 incident and pleaded guilty to first-degree assault.

In court Thursday, the victim’s mother said “My life was changed forever when my son received a gunshot wound to the head. His doctors didn’t know if he would make it. A portion of his skull was removed and they had to use 86 staples to put his head back together… Our family has suffered trauma, anxiety and stress. And I haven’t been able to work for eight months because I need to take care of him.”

Judge Quaintance spoke to Townsend and said “It’s clear you have caused ongoing pain by the choices you made… I hope you will figure out constructive things to do with your time. The rest of your life is what you make of it.”

According to the criminal complaint, police were called to Ogema Place in Minneapolis on the night of Oct. 9 and officers found the victim lying on the ground in a backyard with a gunshot wound to the head. Police obtained video surveillance of the incident, which first shows Townsend and two other men fighting and Townsend is holding a gun. Then they are seen walking toward a townhouse. A short time later, the victim is seen falling to the ground and the men can be seen running from the area.