Man Sentenced 16 Years For Cass Co. Shooting
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A Cass County man has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for shooting another man three times in the back.
William Earl Morris, 24, was convicted of attempted premeditated murder on Thursday. After his prison term is up, he'll need to serve 60 additional days because he was found in contempt of court for his behavior at the sentencing.
Police said on March 24, 2010, Morris had gotten out of his car at an intersection near the City of Cass Lake and began shooting a man walking with his 5-year-old child.
The man tried to run away with his child, but Morris keep chasing them and shooting at them. Witnesses said that the man begged Morris to not shoot the child.
Eventually, the man was shot three times and collapsed. The man's child was not hurt. Another person driving by saw the whole thing and pulled their vehicle between Morris and the victims.
That person was able to get the injured man and the child into the car and drive to the hospital.
Morris took off running, but was caught and arrested by officers later that day.
The man who was shot was treated for serious, but not life-threatening injuries.
