Feb. 28—A Freeborn County District Court judge on Tuesday sentenced the Albert Lea man convicted of shooting three people during an eight-hour standoff in November 2020 at Shady Oaks apartments to a combined 50 years in prison for decisions she described as "targeted" and "calculated."

Devin Michael Weiland, 23, will serve 200 months consecutively for each of the people shot after a jury found him guilty in September of three counts of attempted first-degree murder — one involving attempted murder of a peace officer and two other counts involving premeditation — along with three counts of second-degree assault.

"You directed your shots at real people trying to go about their lives in the community," District Court Judge Christy Hormann said prior to the sentencing.

Hormann said she hoped the three consecutive sentences capture the effect Weiland's actions had that day, noting Weiland fired rounds out of his apartment into vehicles, a nearby home and even into an apartment across the hall from his own during the course of the standoff. She said he fired up to 90 rounds during the standoff and was lucky more people weren't injured.

"You left the entire city of Albert Lea in fear," Hormann said, pointing out that law enforcement sent out a text alert to the entire city to keep people from avoiding the area that morning.

Evidence during the trial showed that Weiland summoned law enforcement to the complex for a report of fireworks or gunshots in the area the morning of Nov. 29, 2020, and when the first officer — Officer Kody Needham — arrived, Weiland began firing shots out the window from his apartment on the third floor, striking that officer in the chest with a rifle.

Daniel Thorpe, who heard noises, left the Shady Oaks building because he was concerned about his vehicle, and was shot in the arm.

Another person, Preston Flink, who lived across the street from the complex, was struck by a bullet through his car door as he drove by on his way to work.

Hormann said during the course of the trial Weiland maintained that his actions were motivated by attempts to get officers to shoot him — "suicide by cop" — but if that were his true intention, the situation could have ended much sooner. And regardless, she said, it doesn't minimize what was done. She also noted the amount of remorse Weiland showed was minimum.

"You've changed the lives of the individuals you've shot forever," she said.

Assistant Freeborn County Attorney Abigail Lambert said prior to the sentencing that the incident shook the entire community, referencing one potential juror who had to be excused after recalling hiding his grandchildren in the basement the morning of the shooting.

She talked about the three people who were shot, including Flink who spent months in the hospital with additional months of rehabilitation. Those months have turned into years of healing.

Needham carries with him a scar on his chest that will forever remind him of that day.

Lambert said while the pre-sentence investigation recommended concurrent sentences, she recommended a 216-month consecutive sentence for each person injured — or a total of 54 years.

One of Weiland's attorneys, Krista Rissman, argued prior to sentencing that Weiland be given concurrent sentences instead of consecutive ones, describing the incident as a single course of conduct.

Rissman said her client had a zero criminal history score before this incident. She said while some may describe him as an "eccentric person," he idolized his grandfather, liked things from World War II, had a collection of pipes and also owned an accordion. She while he has been in jail he has been involved with numerous activities, including anger management, cognitive therapy, narcotics anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous, Bible studies and others, and is even the jail librarian trustee.

"This one act does not encapsulate who Mr. Weiland is," she said.

She argued that while mental health was not a defense in this case, it should be considered as a mitigating factor. She said that Weiland has received a number of diagnoses and is sometimes not able to express emotions.

Hormann said she hoped Weiland would spend time reflecting on his actions and addressing any mental health or other underlying issues.

Weiland will receive credit for 821 days already spent in the Freeborn County jail as of Monday for the first count.

He will also be required to pay $25,602.64 to the Albert Lea Police Department and $5,000 to the Albert Lea Housing and Redevelopment Authority.

Check back for more about the statements made from the victims at the hearing.