A Stearns County jury on Friday found 28-year-old Lara Tetyang Puok guilty of first-degree assault with a gun for a shooting that left a man badly wounded outside an apartment complex on Rivercrest Drive in St. Cloud. The victim survived but suffered a spinal cord injury that limited the use of his legs. Puok is scheduled to be sentenced on August 6, 2026.
Jurors reached their verdict after a four-day trial where prosecutors laid out testimony and physical evidence that Puok pulled a handgun from his waistband, racked the chamber, and opened fire as the victim turned to run, according to WJON. The jury concluded the single shot caused “great bodily harm,” the threshold needed to support the first-degree assault charge. The decision capped several days of witness accounts and exhibits for the panel.
What happened
According to investigators, the shooting unfolded in October 2024 outside an apartment building on Rivercrest Drive after an argument between Puok and the victim, as reported by KNSI. After the gunfire, two people loaded the wounded man into a vehicle and rushed him to CentraCare 2D St. Cloud Hospital for emergency treatment.
Investigators say the victim was hit while trying to run away. Medical staff later found bone fragments and a bullet lodged near his spinal column, injuries that left him with limited mobility in one leg. Police issued a nationwide warrant and eventually tracked Puok down out of state, leading to his extradition back to Stearns County to face charges.
Arrest and next steps
Authorities say Puok took off from the scene after the shooting and was later arrested out of state. Court records and local reporting indicate he was returned to Stearns County to be prosecuted, where a judge has set sentencing for August 6, 2026, according to WJON. Under Minnesota law, a first-degree assault conviction involving “great bodily harm” carries a maximum possible sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $30,000, per the Minnesota Revisor of Statutes. Puok remains in custody while his legal team decides on any post-trial motions.
Local context
The case lands in the middle of a run of high-profile violent incidents across central Minnesota that have kept public safety and witness cooperation squarely on the radar for law enforcement, according to reporting by Bring Me The News. Prosecutors in the region have repeatedly highlighted how quick witness statements and preserved evidence can make or break serious assault prosecutions.
When Puok returns to court in August, the judge will decide how much of the statutory maximum to impose. Stearns County court records will show the exact sentence, any restitution and additional penalties, and any appeals or follow-up motions that may come after the final judgment is entered with the clerk.
