WINONA, Minn. – A Winona man has been arrested for a series of late-night shootings into two houses and a garage in Rollingstone 11 days ago. Damein Lamont Smith Jr., 30, was booked for drive-by shootings into the occupied dwellings. The charge is a felony. No one was hit by the bullets. Mark Dungy, chief sheriff’s investigator, said sufficient evidence had been pulled together to arrest Smith for probable cause. Dungy declined comment on whether additional arrests were imminent, saying he didn’t to jeopardize an ongoing investigation. He did confirm at that the firearm from the shootings hadn’t been located. Dungy didn’t comment on whether a motive had been established for the shootings. The two targeted houses were occupied at the time. The garage was a couple blocks away.
Smith. Charge. Felony drive-by shooting Arrest at 1:48 p.m. Booked at 3:52 p.m.
Profile of a take-down
The drive-by shootings were 13 miles out of Winona in picturesque bucolic Rollingstone, population 670. The town has no police force but relies on Winona County deputies for emergencies. It hasn’t yet become clear how sheriff’s investigators connected Smith to crimes. On Tuesday, however, a tactical team had been assembled by he sheriff’s office to make an arrest. The tactical team included Winona police and officers from the state Bureau Criminal Apprehension. The team established a perimeter at Smith’s home on Orin Street. Apparently unaware of his pending arrest, Smith came out and drove away. Winona police followed Smith cautiously, aware he might be armed. They made a stop a few blocks away at Fifth and Hilbert streets. Smith surrendered without incident. No one was injured – neither Smith nor the officers. No weapon was found. Sheriff’s officers quickly obtained a warrant to search Smith’s house. News reporters a the usual daily police briefing weren’t told whether relevant evidence was discovered at Smith’s address.
Smith profile
Smith has a pending cocaine possession charge in Buffalo County. Wisconsin. The arrest was in 2024. He has lived at various times in Fountain. City, Independence and Whitehall. A 2009 charge of disorderly conduct in LaCrosse was dismissed at the prosecutor’s request. Court records show a miscellany of misdemeanors like speeding when he lived in Phoenix, Arizona.