Man found guilty of attempted murder in 2023 shooting in Rockford

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) – A 31-year-old man faces up to 50 years in prison after a jury found him guilty in connection with a 2023 shooting.

Austen Fowler, of Rockford, was convicted of attempted first-degree murder.

On May 2, 2023, Rockford police attended an area hospital after a man was shot in the arm and face.

The victim told police the shooting occurred outside his home in the 3000 block of 7th Street. Fowler said two armed men wearing masks approached his vehicle and made demands. As he tried to drive away, the men started shooting.

Fowler was arrested in June 2023 after police identified him as a suspect. Prosecutors say the shoes found in his home matched those of one of the suspects captured on surveillance video the day of the shooting. According to the Winnebago County District Attorney's Office, witness statements as well as other surveillance footage and call recordings helped prove Fowler's involvement in the shooting.

Attempted first-degree murder carries a prison sentence of 6 to 30 years. Because a firearm was used, the offense carries an additional 20 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, with 85% to be served, followed by three years of mandatory supervised release.

Fowler is scheduled to appear in court again on October 8.

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