New York Woman Visited Her Friend For A Night, Got Gunned Over A Fight She Was Never A Part Of

A fatal shooting at a residence in New York left two people dead when a gunman shot and killed them. Nearly two years after the incident, the 25-year-old suspect was brought to court, where a jury found him guilty of murder.

The case is being prosecuted by the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office. On Wednesday, a judge sentenced the accused to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The suspect, Jermaine Williams, fatally shot Shatina Jones and Timothy Chealey on the front porch of their home in Rochester. The victims had just returned to the residence on Rialto Street from a concert they attended, which Williams had also attended.

Williams was involved in a heated altercation with another individual during the concert. In retaliation, he followed that person to the same house, where Jones and Chealey were present, and opened fire, killing them. Authorities said another individual was injured in the shooting but survived.

The suspect immediately fled the scene after firing the shots. He was later apprehended in a neighboring county with help from the U.S. Marshals Service. Williams was arrested in Niagara Falls as he attempted to flee the Monroe County area.

He was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder. At the time of his arrest, Williams pleaded not guilty.

​Shatina Jones, 46, was killed in the shooting. She was not involved in the altercation that broke out between the gunman and another individual he followed. She had just stepped onto the porch to smoke when the incident occurred.

Authorities said Jones and Timothy Chealey had attended the same concert at the Blue Cross Arena. She was visiting from Buffalo to celebrate her daughter’s birthday in Rochester.

The victim’s sister spoke to the press and highlighted the tragedy. Andrea Tripp stated, “Our families, we grew up together, so it was just my sister staying one night. She just stayed one night at her best friend's house."

The authorities have issued a press release after Jermaine Williams’ sentencing on Wednesday. The Monroe County District Attorney termed the incident a cowardly act of retaliation, which could have been resolved much more peacefully.

Adam VanHeyst stated, “What should have remained a minor dispute at a concert turned into a calculated and cowardly act of retaliation. Jermaine Williams made a conscious decision to arm himself and open fire on a porch full of individuals — killing Timothy Chealey and Shatina Jones, one of whom had nothing to do with the earlier altercation."