Rochester man on trial for firing on teen in groin

Alex Cotter KAALTV

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(ABC 6 News) – A Rochester man is on trial this week, on assault charges from an incident last year that led to a 15-year-old being shot in the groin.

According to court documents, the victim admitted that he and his friends vandalized a bus stop and began running through a backyard when Steven Hart, who lives nearby, confronted them. The victim pulled out a knife before Hart shot him.

Hart and his lawyers have claimed self-defense from the very start. Hart claims the victim looked angry and charged at him with the knife.

In court on Thursday, Hart said that when the victim charged him. Hart said he had about 2-and-a-half-seconds to cock and fire his weapon. As soon as he shot the teenager, Hart called police.

The evidence used in court Thursday included the 911 call from Hart, two reenactment videos of the incident from Hart’s point of view and photographs of the area. This all happened on 6^1/2 Street Southeast, near the old K-Mart.

A Rochester man is on trial this week, on assault charges from an incident last year that led to a 15-year-old being shot in the groin.

Witnesses on the stand today said the neighborhood has a history of crime. Hart said he was a victim of an armed robbery himself and has called the police many times for issues in the area.

As for the other side, the prosecution says that Hart involved himself in a situation he shouldn’t have been in, and he should have just called police.

Hart is facing one count of first-degree assault and one count of second-degree assault. Closing arguments begin Friday morning.