A Columbia Heights man received two years of probation Thursday after pleading guilty to a firearm charge in connection with the Minneapolis shooting death of an off-duty Eagan and Eden Prairie firefighter who was trapped in the fire. crossed between two groups that exchanged more than 60 rounds of gunfire.

Dallas Antonio Villarreal-Griffin, 27, pleaded guilty in Hennepin County District Court to a misdemeanor charge of carrying a pistol without a permit, a serious misdemeanor, for his role in the may 5 shooting of Joseph Charles Johns, 40, behind the former Whiskey Junction bar in the 900 block of Cedar Avenue South.

According to a witness account, Johns was directing traffic when the shooting broke out, catching him in the crossfire, charges say. He was shot in the chest by a 9mm pistol.

Johns had been a full-time firefighter in Eagan since 2020. He was also a part-time on-call firefighter in Eden Prairie, where he lived, since 2015.

he was remembered by his peers as a kind, loving, positive and charismatic man who had a “service before self” mentality.

Villarreal-Griffin had been charged with first-degree felony accessory to riot resulting in death, but prosecutors added the gun charge as part of Thursday’s plea deal. He was then sentenced to a 364-day jail term, which was suspended for two years.

Villarreal-Griffin, who was shot in the leg during the shooting and hospitalized, admitted to police that he fired a 9mm gun at a group, the May 17 criminal complaint says.

A county prosecutor said last month at the sentencing of a second shooter, Marquise Trevone Hammonds-Ford, that police have not found the person who fired the 9mm shot that killed Johns.

People had gathered that night near the old Whiskey Junction bar to celebrate the anniversary of the founding of a motorcycle club.

Just before 12:30 a.m., Hammonds-Ford, a member of the North Minneapolis “Young N’ Thuggin” street gang, pulled out a 10mm pistol modified to make it an automatic weapon, waved it and taunted another group of gunmen. carrying men across the street. He then fired the gun into the air toward the parking lot.

Officers arriving at the scene were directed to Johns, who was pronounced dead at Hennepin County Medical Center less than an hour later.

Officers collected 63 unloaded cartridge casings, which were found grouped on both sides of the street in front of the bar.

Forensic evidence showed that the shots were fired from seven firearms: six 9mm firearms and one 10mm firearm.

Evidence, including video surveillance, showed Johns was shot as two groups exchanged gunfire from opposite sides of the street.

When the shooting stopped, Hammonds-Ford and others sped off and dropped Villarreal-Griffin off at HCMC.

Hammonds-Ford, 29, of Monticello, was also charged with complicity in first-degree riot resulting in death, but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of weapons possession last month after reaching a plea deal. He was sentenced on October 9. to 6 and a half years in prison, which was part of the terms of the agreement.