LANCASTER, Pa. — A Lancaster man was convicted Wednesday of attempted murder and other offenses relating to a 2021 shooting on the 100 block of Hershey Avenue in the city, the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office said Thursday.
Daijour L. Stennett, 32, of the 700 block of W. Vine St., was also found guilty of aggravated assault and carrying a firearm without a license in relation to the shooting, which occurred on Nov. 4, 2021.
The jury deliberated for about three hours before voting to convict Stennett following a three-day trial before Lancaster County Judge Jeffrey Wright, according to prosecutors.
Stennett fired six shots at the victim, striking him four times—once in the left shoulder, once in the left torso, once in the right shoulder and once behind the head, prosecutors said.
The victim suffered a fractured skull, spine, a broken shoulder blade and bleeding in his chest due to the shooting, according to prosecutors.
The victim testified he continues to suffer lingering injuries such as weakness and arthritis in his left shoulder and arm, seizures that he needs to take medications to treat and PTSD.
Assistant District Attorney Chris Miller prosecuted the case and presented a recording of the shooting that was recovered from Stennett’s phone that provided audio and video.
The victim was shot multiple times after lying face down on the ground due to the previous gunshot wounds. The sixth and final shot could be heard fired about four seconds after the first five, which were all rapidly fired in an approximate three-second span, according to evidence presented at trial.
Miller also presented the victim’s sweatshirt that was worn during the shooting, holding a rod through the bullet holes in the hood to show the trajectory of the bullet that struck the victim’s head and a bullet that went through the hood but narrowly missed striking the victim’s head a second time.
The .40 caliber Smith and Wesson handgun used in the shooting was also presented as evidence at trial, according to prosecutors.
Evidence and testimony showed that Stennett and the victim were known to each other and had previous confrontations dating back to 2017.
“I told you the defendant wanted (the victim’s) life for years,” Miller said to the jury during his closing argument. “He kept trying and trying and failed. So last November, he tried to take his life.”
The defense argued the shooting was self-defense.
“It’s not enough for self-defense to be really frustrated or annoyed with somebody,” Miller responded.
Judge Wright will order sentence at a later date.
