PORTLAND, Maine — One of the men charged in an Old Port shooting that killed one teen and injured another pleaded guilty Thursday to elevated aggravated assault.
Prosecutors said Johnny Ouch, 21, fired a gun that night in 2015 but he was not the one who killed a Scarborough teen.
“Just seems so senseless,” said Nancy Laxson, whose son Trey Arsenault, 19, was killed.
Arsenault was listening to a friend sing at Da Block recording studio in downtown Portland on May 25, 2015.
“Trey Arsenault was a completely innocent victim in this scenario, and what really is incredible is there were 12 rounds discharged in this very small room, and only one person died,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Marchese.
Marchese said another man, Mohamed Ali, was injured after a fight started and guns were drawn.
On Thursday, Ouch admitted to shooting Ali.
“He’s going to be out from underneath a murder charge and potential conviction, so this was definitely in his best interest,” said Amy Fairfield, Ouch’s defense attorney.
Ouch is expected to testify against Gang Deng Majok. Prosecutors say he’s the one who shot Arsenault.
“The wounds just keep on opening up and that’s the hardest part, just reliving it over and over,” said Laxson.
She said she’ll be at every day of the trial, seeking justice for Trey.
“My sentence is I have to deal with this for the rest of my life, and my son got death. That was what his sentence was,” said Laxson.
Ouch faces four to 16 years in prison. Marchese said his sentencing and dismissal of the murder charge will come after Majok’s trial, which is scheduled for September.