BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announced Friday that a Buffalo man was sentenced to five years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision.
On the morning of Oct. 1, 2019, the defendant 21-year-old Jason L. Washington, fired multiple shots at an occupied house on Ruspin Avenue in Buffalo. No one was injured by the gunfire.
Later that day, Washington approached the victim, who was standing outside of a home on LaSalle Avenue. Washington, who intended to commit a burglary, pointed a gun at the victim and attempted to coerce him into the house.
When they approached the front door, the victim grabbed a chair from the front porch and hit Washington, which initiated a physical altercation. During the scuffle, Washington shot himself in the hand with an illegal gun and ran away from the scene.
Washington pleaded guilty to one count of attempted burglary in the first degree, two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second, and one count of reckless endangerment in the first.
Washington's five-year sentence will run concurrently with his sentence in a separate criminal case.
On Aug. 31, 2022, Washington was involved in a fight at Emerson Park in Buffalo. During the fight, a little league football game was also ending at the park at the same time.
Washington attempted to fire a shot from an illegal weapon at the victim's head, but the gun failed to fire. A football coach, 36-year-old Norzell Aldridge, attempted to break up the fight by hitting Washington in the head with a football helmet.
Washington fired multiple shots at Aldridge, who was in the side of his torso. Aldridge later died at the hospital from his injuries.
Washington was found guilty of one count of manslaughter in the first degree, one count of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, and one count of assault in the second degree.
