Shooting suspect pleads guilty

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WORTHINGTON — Charged with eight felonies, Ulises Mendez pleaded guilty on two counts Thursday morning.

At 2.33 a.m. Jan. 9, Worthington Police officers were informed of a shooting in the 1500 block of Sherwood Street.

Around the same time, a car of screaming women pulled up to a police officer on 12th Street. One of the women informed him that her house was shot at.

Prior to the shooting, Mendez was involved in a fight at a party. He had allegedly tried to hit another woman with a vodka bottle.

Friends of the woman who Mendez attempted to hit drove to pick her up. Mendez appeared in another car. He shot at the car, injuring one of the passengers.

“We’re extremely fortunate that it did not involve anyone being seriously injured. It was a reckless and serious act by Mr. Mendez,” said Gordon Moore, Nobles County Attorney.

He was initially charged with eight felonies — attempted murder in the first degree, attempted murder in the second degree, dangerous weapon-drive by occupied target, two counts of a second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, attempted second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, second-degree riot and reckless discharge of a firearm within a municipality-dangerous weapon.

Mendez pleaded guilty to one count of dangerous weapon-drive by shooting occupied target and one count of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon.

“We’re of the opinion that the sentence he will receive will be appropriate for the severity of his actions,” Moore said.

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