NEW YORK, NY – Police say Richard Dixon was trying to gun down one of his rivals, but instead killed his own accomplice in a shooting that took place in Queens last June.
Dixon was indicted by a grand jury and arraigned for murder and other crimes for fatally shooting his accomplice in a botched attempt to gun down a rival.
The charges against him allege that Dixon and Raymon Francis, his associate approached Kenardo Kelly and Dwayne Whyte as they sat in their vehicles on Cross Bay Boulevard near Pitkin Avenue in Ozone Park at approximately 5:00 a.m. on June 19.
The two men approached Kelly’s vehicle from different angles, and Dixon fired several shots at Kelly, striking him and his car. At that time, Whyte fired several shots from his vehicle at Dixon, who pivoted and returned fire. At least one of Dixon’s shots hit Francis.
“As alleged, this is yet another example of the brazen lawlessness inherent in illegal gun use,” District Attorney Melinda Katz said. “We need to do everything we can, on the streets and in the courts, to eradicate the plague of gun violence from society.”
EMS found the 38-year-old Francis collapsed in the parking lot, laying on top of his pistol. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Kelly, 33, was taken to a different local hospital for treatment of gunshots to his face and upper back and a broken jaw. The 29-year-old Whyte was taken to a third hospital for treatment for gunshot wounds to his leg.
Dixon was also shot. He was treated for multiple gunshots, including to the leg, groin, buttocks and knee.
He is facing up to 25 years in prison.