Rochester Man Sentenced For Zumbro Ridge Estates Shooting
Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A Rochester man was sentenced this week for a felony conviction involving a shooting that occurred in August of last year at the Zumbro Ridge Estates manufactured home community.
Pleaded Guilty to Felony Charge
Court records indicate that 41-year-old Shawn Owen Dieser entered into a plea agreement in August, shortly before his trial was scheduled to begin, and admitted to intentionally discharging a firearm in a manner that endangered safety. A gross misdemeanor charge involving negligent storage of firearms was dismissed as part of the plea deal.
READ MORE: Rochester Man Pleads Guilty Just Before Shooting Trial Begins
Deputies Respond to Reports of Gunfire at Zumbro Ridge Estates
According to the criminal complaint, Olmsted County Sheriff's Office deputies were dispatched to Zumbro Ridge Estates on the night of August 22, 2025. The deputies were responding to reports that several gunshots had been fired at one of the residences.
The court document says the responding deputies attempted to contact Dieser by phone and through announcements over a public address system before a woman came out of the home and spoke with them. The criminal complaint says she told the deputies that Dieser was highly intoxicated and had asked for a shotgun earlier that evening.
Loaded Shotgun Found Near Room Where Children Were Sleeping
The woman also indicated that two adolescent children were inside the residence. Deputies found Dieser asleep on a couch. After taking him into custody, they found the two children in a bedroom across the hall from another bedroom where a loaded shotgun was located.
Multiple Spent and Live Shotgun Shells Found at Scene
The deputies also reported finding two spent shotgun shells on the ground near the south-side porch of the residence, along with several live shotgun shells. A third spent shell was found on the porch, along with two live shells. The criminal complaint says several ammunition boxes were also found on the porch, near the front door, and in the kitchen.
Following his arrest, Dieser told investigators that his neighbor had threatened to kill him and that he had fired one warning shot, according to the court document.
Witness Describes Repeated Attempts to Fire Shotgun
A witness in a neighboring residence told deputies he was awakened by a loud noise that he initially thought was fireworks. He then heard another loud noise and realized it was a gunshot. The witness said he heard a third shot several minutes later and saw Dieser standing on his deck holding a shotgun.
The same witness told deputies that he watched as Dieser repeatedly tried to cycle the shotgun and fire it, but the weapon did not discharge. The witness estimated that Dieser made 10 to 15 attempts to fire the gun without success.
Dieser appeared before an Olmsted County judge on Monday and was sentenced to two years of probation and 50 hours of community work service.
