Overview
- A Jefferson County jury, which returned its verdict on Monday, found Brent Metz guilty of third-degree assault and illegal discharge of a firearm.
- The jury acquitted Metz on menacing charges and a judge ordered him to remain in custody while he waits for sentencing.
- The shooting occurred in 2024 when two teens entered Metz’s private property for photos and Metz approached their vehicle, and one 17-year-old was struck in the face and told the court he feared he would die.
- Metz’s defense said a defective Sig Sauer P320 fired on its own, but firearms engineer Derek Watkins testified he found no mechanical defect even as he acknowledged that accidental P320 discharges can occur and the jury did not accept the accidental-discharge theory.
- Metz is scheduled for sentencing in about two weeks and faces possible prison time for the convictions, while the teenage victims say the long legal process has taken a heavy physical and emotional toll.