NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A Queens grand jury indicted a Bronx man for a fatal shooting that killed a 20-year-old and injured two others in the first homicide of 2021.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Tuesday that Richard Swygert, 19, was charged with seven counts, including murder, for allegedly committing the early New Year's Day shooting.
Officials said Swygert brandished his gun after a dispute between two groups of guests celebrating New Year's Eve at the now-closed Umbrella Hotel on 82nd Avenue and Queens Boulevard in Kew Gardens.
At around 1 a.m. on Jan. 1, Swygert allegedly shot Robert Williams, 20, and two other men. Williams died at the scene and the two other victims were treated at local hospitals.
“The defendant’s alleged actions led to the first homicide in New York City this year," Katz said. "Senseless shootings have brought grief and heartache to far too many families in our neighborhoods. My Office will continue to work with our law enforcement and community partners to stop the proliferation of guns in Queens and to hold accountable perpetrators of gun violence."
Swygert was indicted in September for allegedly killing a 22-year-old Queens man and injuring another for an Aug. 13 shooting at a Flushing karaoke bar.
He faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted for each shooting.
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