Fargo man sentenced for 2022 shooting in Grand Forks
Jul. 3—GRAND FORKS — A Fargo man charged with attempted murder in Grand Forks was sentenced for lesser charges on Monday, July 3.
Omar Deronjic, 20, recently pleaded guilty to three Class C felonies: aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon, terrorizing with a dangerous weapon, and reckless endangerment. His other three charges — Class A felony attempted murder and two counts of Class C felony terrorizing with a dangerous weapon — were dismissed.
The state requested a sentence of three years in prison. The defense requested two years, which is the mandatory minimum for aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon. He was sentenced to two and a half years in prison and immediately placed in custody. After his release, he will be on supervised probation for two years.
According to an affidavit in the case, the Grand Forks Police Department was dispatched to a disturbance at 8:32 p.m. on July 8, 2022. Before police arrived, dispatch heard a gunshot in the background of the 911 call.
Michael Landvik was located with a gunshot wound to his shoulder area, the affidavit said. The shooter, later identified as Deronjic, left the scene in his vehicle but was found and stopped.
Law enforcement interviewed multiple people who witnessed the shooting. They determined two women were in a mutual fight, during which Deronjic displayed a handgun and pointed it at a group of people. Deronjic shot Landvik and attempted to fire again, but his gun jammed, the affidavit said.
During the sentencing, the state and defense disagreed with some details of the incident.
Sarah Gereszek, representing the state, said witnesses observed Deronjic immediately brandishing a gun upon exiting his vehicle. Landvik, on the other hand, wasn't armed, she said.
John Arechigo, Deronjic's lawyer, said Landvik and others in his group were armed with knives.
"(Deronjic) certainly didn't plan or expect the incident to unfold in the way it did," Arechigo said.
Deronjic acted on impulse because he was outnumbered, but accepted a significant amount of responsibility for his actions, Arechigo said.
He highlighted Deronjic's young age, strong support system and children as reasons the shorter sentence was appropriate.
"You're either going to end up incarcerated for most of your life ... or dead at a young age, if you keep up this way," Judge Jason McCarthy told Deronjic. "You're young. You're smart. ... You can do this. Don't let this define you."
