Scott Campbell will serve three-and-one-half years of a 20-year term in prison, the rest will be suspended.
Tiverton police announced Tuesday that Scott Campbell had been given the sentence in connection with Rhode Island charges of felony assault with a dangerous weapon, drive-by shooting, use of a firearm when committing an act of violence, and not having a permit for a pistol.
Mr. Campbell will actually serve three-and-one-half years of the 20-year term, with 16 and one-half years suspended.
The incident occurred at Benjamin’s Sports Pub shortly before midnight on April 6, 2013. Police at the time said two shots were fired from a passing car into the pub, which was located at the border between Tiverton and Fall River.
Tiverton Police Captain Patrick Jones said one of the two shots hit the side of the building, while the other went through the front glass door and struck a victim inside. The victim was treated for non-fatal shoulder injuries at Rhode island Hospital.
Witnesses told police that the shooter was driving an “orange Dodge Neon.”
Within 35 – 40 minutes of the incident, Fall River police traced the vehicle to a Fall River residence, and found the car parked in the driveway. Captain Jones said police found “two spent casings” in the vehicle.
After entering the house, and finding Mr. Campbell inside, police gave the suspect Miranda warnings, and obtained consent to search the premises. Police found a .380 caliber pistol in a kitchen cabinet, Captain Jones said.
The bullet embedded in the building turned out to match the caliber of the pistol, Captain Jones said.
Witnesses at the scene told police that Mr. Campbell had been inside the tavern just prior to the shooting, then left. The shooting afterwards “was all but contemporaneous,” Captain Jones said. According to witness accounts, Mr. Campbell entered the tavern alone and left alone, the captain said.