AUSTIN — One of the men involved in a shooting last March was sentenced to 17 years in prison Friday.

Mongong, Kual Maniang Deng, 20, of Rochester, was sentenced to 17 years in prison for one count of attempted murder and five years in prison for being a convict in possession of a firearm, which is concurrent with Deng’s other count.

Deng entered an Alford plea in January, which means he admits there is sufficient evidence to be found guilty by a jury; however, it does not require the defendant to admit guilt. Court administration staff said Deng’s attorneys were attempting to change Deng’s plea.

The incident in question occurred Monday, March 28, 2011, around 7:15 p.m. at 200 First St. SE in Austin. According to a court complaint, the victim heard a knock on his apartment door and found a man believed to be Deng standing in the hall with a 12-gauge shotgun. Deng reportedly pointed the gun at his head and demanded money and “everything that was there.”

The victim’s two children — ages 5 and 7 — witnessed the shooting. The man told police he grabbed the gun so his children would not get shot and a struggle ensued.

The man told his children to run to the basement, at which point Deng pointed the gun at the victim’s stomach. At some point the gun was fired, hitting the man in the upper leg area. The court report also states one of the man’s fingertips was shot off.

Two other men — Ojulu Obang Onyongo, 20, and Kevin Michael Lyke, 20 — were already convicted in the case and are serving prison time. Lyke and Onyongo were convicted of aiding and abetting first-degree assault. Both were scheduled to testify at Deng’s trial before the plea agreement was reached.