Rochester man involved in 2023 shooting that left woman partially blind sentenced

Oct. 23—ROCHESTER — One of two men accused of exchanging gunfire in the parking lot of a Rochester apartment complex in 2023 was sentenced to five years in prison on Oct. 17.

The alleged gunmen, Aaron Armond Caradine, 19, of Rochester, and Daniel Ray Young, Jr., 22, of Stewartville, were both charged with using a dangerous weapon in a drive-by shooting, a crime. Caradine faced two additional charges of first- and second-degree assault, both felonies.

Caradine pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm as a felon, which was the amended charge to first-degree assault causing great bodily injury. Following his plea, Caradine was scheduled to appear in court for a plea hearing on October 17.

A sentencing order was filed on October 17. In exchange for his guilty plea, Olmsted County District Judge Kathy Wallace dismissed the use of a dangerous weapon in a drive-by shooting and second-degree assault charges. Caradine received 350 days of credit for time served.

According to the criminal complaint, the Rochester Police Department responded to a report of a shooting at the Quarters Apartment building in southeast Rochester on October 27, 2023. Officers learned of an altercation during A party in one of the apartments led to the shooting of a person. gun.

Police learned that after the shooting, Young was driving a vehicle in the complex’s parking lot when Caradine, a passenger in another vehicle, fired shots at Young’s car. One of the bullets struck a woman in Young’s vehicle.

Surveillance video obtained from the apartment complex showed Caradine shooting at Young’s vehicle and Young getting out of his vehicle to return fire.

Young then left and drove the injured woman, who had been shot in the eye, to the hospital. The woman can no longer see out of the eye in which she was hit.

Police located Young’s vehicle and found a bullet hole in the windshield and a spent .45 caliber shell casing was found in the driver’s seat. Police also found a rifle in the back seat.

Young initially denied firing a gun, but admitted to it after seeing video of the incident.

Police also found several bullet casings around the apartment complex.

After Caradine’s arrest, he admitted to firing a gun at Young’s vehicle.

“You got me, bro,” he told police, according to the complaint. “I did it because I’m losing myself. I’m remorseful. I did it, let’s make time.”

Young is scheduled to appear for a motion hearing on October 31.