Woman convicted of shooting man in Evans City faces light prison sentence, victim wants more time

EVANS CITY, Pa. — A local woman convicted of a first-degree felony was looking at years in prison. Instead, she is serving a week in jail. The victim said this sentence sends the wrong message with the rise in gun violence.

“If it doesn’t start from the top, if the people in power that are allowed to hand down the consequences don’t hand down consequences,” said victim Robert Avondo. “I don’t feel anything is going to change.”

Robert Avondo reached out to Channel 11 after a judge’s ruling in his case.

According to the criminal complaint, Avondo and his neighbor got into an argument outside their homes in Evans City in July 2021. The neighbor’s friend, Brittany Young told Avondo to stop yelling. When he didn’t, Young pulled out a gun. It jammed a few times and then she fired a shot in Avondo’s direction.

“It discharged, and it landed about five feet in front of me on the ground,” said Avondo. “I didn’t even know this woman before this happened.”

Evans City Seven Field Regional police said Young told officers, “If she could have shot more times, she would have and that we would’ve needed a body bag if the gun didn’t jam.”

Young was charged with two felony counts of aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, disorderly conduct and two counts of simple assault.

The minimum sentence she was facing was 40 months in jail.

On Thursday, Judge Timothy McCune sentenced Young to seven days to 12 months in jail, plus 24 months of probation. She is only serving the minimum of a week in jail with probation and parole.

“Is that really trying to do anything about the problem of gun violence? Is that sending a message saying this is serious? You can’t just shoot people because you’re arguing,” said Avondo.

“My office intends on appealing this sentence. We do not feel the sentence fits the crime of which the defendant was found guilty by a jury,” said Butler County district attorney Richard Goldinger.

The district attorney’s office just filed this motion challenging the sentencing. If the judge does not issue a ruling on it or denies the motion, they plan to appeal.

“This was a reckless endangerment case at best and that the sentence the judge handed down completely fits with the allegations made,” said J.P. Senich, who represented Young during the sentencing.

According to the district attorney’s office, the judge said in court that he did not believe Young’s self-defense claim and that firing the gun was not justified. But the judge thought this was an isolated incident where the victim antagonized Young.

Since Young has kids and does not have a criminal history, the judge thinks she will not commit any future crimes and didn’t want to give her significant jail time.

Channel 11 reached out to Judge Timothy McCune and we are still waiting to hear back.

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