Two weeks after Lavon Pemberton exchanged gunfire with another man in Groton, he was shot in the stomach while walking down a Springfield, Mass. street and almost died, according to his attorney.

“It changed his life,” said attorney Kevin C. Barrs.

Pemberton, 24, pleaded guilty today in New London Superior Court to second-degree assault in connection with the May 22, 2009, shooting near the intersection of Gungywamp Road and Sailfish Drive in Groton. He received a fully suspended sentence due to discrepancies in the case.

According to Groton Town police, Andre Lucas called 911 at 1:02 a.m. to report that a car cut him off while driving and its passenger exited and began shooting at him. Lucus, who had a pistol permit, said he returned fire with a .40 caliber pistol. He was not injured but had three bullet holes in the driver’s side door of his car.

With help from Waterbury Police, Groton detectives located a black Toyota with bullet holes and interviewed its driver, Shawn Suarez. Suarez initially told them he and Pemberton had just left Club Kreme in New London. He said Pemberton told him to follow the other car because he had just sold marijuana to the driver and wanted to make sure he was paid. Later, Suarez changed his story and said Pemberton planned to rob the other man and had not sold him marijuana. Lucas, the other driver, had stopped at an ATM machine prior to the shooting.

Police found blood in the passenger seat where Pemberton had been sitting and conducted DNA testing that proved it was his, according to prosecutor Paul J. Narducci. Pemberton was not shot in the incident but was cut by glass from a broken window.