USC Party Shooting Suspect Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison
A man was sentenced Monday to 25 years in state prison for shooting two USC students during a party last year near the USC campus. Tyson Tyree Smith, 22, had been accused of theft at the party, and reportedly opened fire on party guests.
He was sentenced immediately after pleading no contest to one count of attempted murder. Smith agreed to a plea deal that negated another count of attempted murder and charge of assault with a semi-automatic firearm.
Smith attended a party on Sept. 4, 2011, in the 1200 block of West 37th Place that hosted as many as 100 guests, many of which were not invited. According to Deputy District Attorney Kennes Ma, Smith was accused of stealing a pair of expensive Dr. Dre Beats headphones. He then allegedly pulled out a gun and asked, "Do we have a problem?"
Partygoers began running wildly, and some even jumped out of bedroom windows at the sight of the gun, Ma said.
Student Christina Wilkerson was shot in the hand while attempting to back other students away from the gunman. The bullet deflected off Wilkerson's hand before piercing another partygoer, Jason Sneed, in the chest.
Wilkerson administered CPR and kept Sneed breathing until paramedics arrived. He spent 11 days in the hospital before being released.
