A Benton Harbor man’s reckless firing of handgun at vehicle outside of Walter Ward Park has landed him with an extended stay in prison.

Judge Michael Dodge sentenced 20-year-old Sentrelle Murray to consecutive terms of one year and two years in prison during his sentencing hearing Friday morning in Cass County court, on charges of assault with a dangerous weapon, felony firearms and carrying a concealed weapon. Murray pleaded guilty to the charges on April 8.

The shooting in question occurred Sept. 18, 2015, at the city park, following a physical altercation between Murray and the victim in the case, Zachariah Warren. At some point during the fight, Murray pulled out a firearm and pointed it at the other man, prompting him to flee toward a vehicle waiting for him.

While Warren was running, the Benton Harbor man fired a shot toward him and the vehicle — which happened to contain a 2-year-old child and 8-month-old child, Dodge said.

“Fortunately, no one was seriously injured or killed as a result of this shooting, but it could have been far worse,” Dodge said.

The Dowagiac police later learned of the shooting, issuing a warrant for Murray’s arrest in October. The man turned himself into police several months later.

Cass County Assistant Prosecutor Kirk Metzger, appearing on behalf of the people, admonished Murray for his actions, saying that his behavior is how innocent people get killed. Metzger asked the judge to impose a prison sentence at or above the state recommendation.

“I understand Mr. Murray is a young man, but there’s no excuse for this,” Metzger said. “This can’t be tolerated, in this or any other community. Hopefully he learns from this, and it will never happen again. But he’s going to have to contemplate that in prison.”

Murray’s attorney, Daniel French, defended his client, saying he believed after watching a cell phone video of the incident that Murray did not intend to shoot the victim in this case but instead fire a warning shot into the air. Still a dangerous action, French said Murray acknowledges this fact and regrets that he resorted to such violence, he said.

“He’s still a young guy — only 20-years-old,” French said. “He still has a lot of living yet to do. This is a certainly a wake-up call for him, that this behavior is not acceptable and is punished with prison terms. It can be even more severe if someone was struck.”

Judge Dodge reiterated a similar point before handing down his sentence, saying that if Murray’s bullet had injured or killed one of the bystanders, he could have spent a good chunk of his life behind bars.

“It could have been far worse,” Dodge said. “You deserve everything you get out of this sentence.”

Murray was given 148 days credit for time served on his one-year sentence; he was given zero days credit for his two-year term.

Also sentenced Friday:

• Jahaira Ivelisse Maldonado, 25, of Cassopolis, to two years of probation for welfare fraud, failure to inform $500 or more.

• Wayne Leroy Ottinger, 40, of Dowagiac, to 120 days in jail for possession of methamphetamine.

• Melissa Gina Lammon, 34, of Dowagiac, to two years of probation for various methamphetamine-related charges.

• Amy Sue McDonnell, 37, of Edwardsburg, to two years of probation for various methamphetamine-related charges.