UPDATE: October 30 at 4:45 p.m.

O’Neel was sentenced to just over 25 years in Walla Walla County Superior Court today. Details of the sentencing to come.

WALLA WALLA, Wash. — After pleading guilty in September, the man accused of shooting a Washington State Patrol trooper in 2022 will be sentenced at a hearing Thursday afternoon.

Brandon O’Neel shot trooper Dean Atkinson as Atkinson was driving down Poplar Street. Atkinson fully recovered and returned to work.

That shooting happened the same day police investigated an ultimately unsubstantiated bomb threat at an apartment O’Neel was being evicted from.

O’Neel initially pleaded not guilty to the shooting .

ORIGINAL COVERAGE: OCTOBER 30 at 12:48 p.m.

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