Rapid City, SD – A Rapid City man who fired a gun into a vehicle occupied by two individuals was sentenced to probation this morning in Pennington County Circuit Court. Ty Hill, 25, pled guilty to aggravated assault in April.
The shooting incident occurred following a verbal confrontation between Hill and the vehicle’s occupants. Senior Deputy State’s Attorney Jason Thomas said Hill “made the deliberate and chilling decision to arm himself with a 9mm Glock handgun and discharge it towards another vehicle.”
Photographic evidence showed a bullet hole in the lower portion of the driver’s side door, just inches from where the victim was seated. Prosecutors argued that this evidence demonstrated how narrowly the incident avoided becoming a fatal tragedy.
“To react to a disliked comment by shooting at someone, or even demonstrably near them, is an utterly disproportionate and dangerous response that speaks volumes about the defendant’s judgment and temperament,” said Thomas. “The fact that the bullet struck the lower part of the door is nothing short of sheer luck. A fraction of an inch higher, a slightly different angle, and this Court could be dealing with a homicide,” he continued.
The State recommended a 15-year prison sentence. Instead, the Court ordered a suspended sentence and placed Hill on ten years of supervised probation. In issuing the sentence, Judge Connolly acknowledged Hill’s limited prior criminal history but issued a warning: any violations of probation will likely result in a lengthy prison term.
Hill admitted to being intoxicated during the incident and expressed remorse for his actions during the hearing.
This case was prosecuted on behalf of the State by Senior Deputy State’s Attorney Jason Thomas.
