Man sentenced to more than 37 years for drive-by shooting that killed 1, injured 2 others

A man has been sentenced to 37.5 years in prison for a drive-by shooting that left one person dead and two others injured.

In December 2024, Jenup Stepen Chop, 20, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and two counts of attempted first-degree murder, according to the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office.

On Friday, a Mower County court sentenced Chop to 297 months in prison for the murder of Gumdel Gilo, a consecutive 153-month sentence for one count of attempted murder and a concurrent 210-month sentence for the other count of attempted murder, 37.5 years in total.

In June 2023, Chop allegedly fired over 20 rounds at a vehicle being driven by Gilo, killing him and injuring two other passengers.

Chop also fired multiple rounds at a witness on a motorcycle, who pursued the vehicle with Chop and his codefendants. The attorney general’s office said one codefendant is pending trial.

“My heart goes out to Jenup Chop’s victims and their loved ones during this extremely difficult time,” said Attorney General Keith Ellison. “I care deeply about the safety of the people of Minnesota, and I will continue to partner with law enforcement and county attorneys across our state to prosecute criminals who pose a danger to their fellow Minnesotans.”

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Austin Police Department, Mower County Sheriff’s Office and Albert Lea Police Department investigated the incident.