CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. — A man and a woman from Cheektowaga were arraigned Thursday morning on a series of gun and drug-related charges as part of the ongoing investigation of a shooting spree at the Ferry Grider apartment complex late Monday night that left four people wounded, including a 3-year-old boy who was shot in the head.
Dequan I. Richardson, 22, and Jonay B. Robinson, 25, were arraigned in Cheektowaga Town Court on six charges, including criminal possession of a firearm.
According to court documents obtained by 2 On Your Side, investigators found a .25 Cal Titan pistol and a .223 caliber Spikes tactical semi-automatic rifle, similar in style to an AR-15, in the couple's apartment on Slate Creek Drive.
Both weapons were loaded, according to a felony complaint, and neither one was legally registered.
Along with the guns, investigators also found cocaine and other drug paraphernalia, which they say is used in the sale and distribution of drugs.
Erie County District Attorney John Flynn said the search of the apartment that led to those charges came from the investigation that started after the shootings late Monday. The warrant was executed at 5pm on Tuesday.
Flynn also noted that as of Thursday morning, Richardson and Robinson had not been charged with committing the shootings, although that may change once ballistics test are performed on the guns to see if they match any of the bullets recovered at the scene.
Both defendants were ordered held on $175,000 bail.
According to witnesses, two individuals approached a gathering at the Ferry Grider apartments where residents were watching an amateur fireworks display and opened fire.
A police source said 38 shots were fired.
A woman who identified herself as a relative of the 3 year old victim identified him as Shaquille Walker Jr. and said he was riding his bicycle near where his family was having a late night cookout and enjoying the fireworks when the gunfire erupted.
