Man sentenced for deadly 2022 Bowlero shooting in Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A man learned how long he will spend behind bars for his role in a deadly shooting at a bowling alley in Fresno.

A judge sentenced Rafael Gonzalez to 20 years in prison for the murder of 19-year-old Devin Johnson after he accepted a plea deal to change the charge from first-degree murder to manslaughter.

Chilling surveillance video shows the moment shots rang out during the 2022 shooting at the Bowlero in northeast Fresno.

During the sentencing Thursday, Johnson's mother spoke about her son's accomplishments in his life cut short.

"My son was an honor roll student in high school. Despite the fact that he was killed in February, I still have a high school diploma with my son's name on it. He was on a date. He made sure that the people he was with got out of there safely," said Johnson's mother, Valerie Myers.

The sentencing comes as Gonzalez and the co-defendant, 21-year-old Giovanni Rodriguez, accepted a plea deal.

"He was charged with first-degree murder, and then he took a plea to voluntary manslaughter because, under the new sentencing guidelines, he'll have his first opportunity at parole after about 15 years," said Gonzalez's Defense Attorney, Gerald Schwab.

Judge Geoffrey D. Wilson acknowledged the possible release and said that he hoped that Gonzalez would learn from his mistakes.

"You are going to be getting out at some point, so you need to be thinking about that starting today, how you are going to turn your life around while you're in CDCR. My hope is that you do that and that when you get out, you can make something of yourself," said Fresno County Superior Court Judge, Geoffrey D. Wilson.

Gonzalez stood in court facing only the judge.

Johnson's mom knows no matter the sentence, her baby boy will never be back.

"He still has a price to pay. He still has blood on his hands and I hope he understands that, with the little smirk on his face like he has a heart. You don't have heart, my son had heart, I got heart, you don't have heart," said Myers.

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