A Gaithersburg man has been sentenced to 100 years in prison, with all but 35 years suspended, for opening fire on two people at Welsh Park in Rockville in October 2024.
Kenneth Oates, 40, was sentenced on Monday, October 19, in Montgomery County Circuit Court by Judge Carlos Acosta. He will also serve five years of supervised probation upon his release.
Oates was convicted by a jury on April 28, 2026, of attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, two counts of using a firearm in a crime of violence, illegal possession of a regulated firearm and violating a protective order.
According to prosecutors, the shooting occurred on Saturday, October 26, 2024, while Oates’ on-again, off-again girlfriend was attending a flag football game at Welsh Park. During halftime, she was sitting in her vehicle speaking with a friend when Oates emerged from a wooded area, approached the vehicle and began firing a handgun.
The friend ran across a field as bullets struck the ground nearby. Oates fired seven shots into the woman’s vehicle as she drove away through a field to escape. Rockville City Police determined that Oates fired a total of 14 shots during the incident.
