Rochester Teen and Getaway Driver Indicted on Attempted Murder Charge for Drive-By Shooting in Amherst

Kristen Harrison-Oneal

Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that two individuals have been indicted for their alleged roles in a shooting that occurred last summer in the Town of Amherst that left the teenage victim paralyzed.

An 18-year-old male from Rochester, New York was arraigned before Erie County Court Judge Suzanne Maxwell Barnes on an indictment charging him with one count of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree and one count of Assault in the First Degree (Class “B” violent felonies) on December 23, 2021.

Today, his co-defendant, Jeremiah Johnson, 20, of Amherst, was arraigned before Erie County Court Judge Susan Eagan on an indictment charging him with one count of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree and one count of Assault in the First Degree.

It is alleged that on July 26, 2021, at approximately 11:40 p.m., the adolescent offender was the passenger of a vehicle, driven by the co-defendant, when the teenage victim was walking on Fairgreen Avenue in the Town of Amherst. The adolescent offender, who was 17-years-old at the time of the alleged crime, attempted to cause the death of the victim by intentionally shooting him with a rifle while seated inside of the vehicle. His co-defendant, who was charged under the theory of accomplice liability, drove away from the scene.


The 17-year-old male victim was taken to ECMC where he underwent surgery for serious physical injuries. The victim suffered paralysis and continues to receive treatment for the injuries he sustained in the attack.

The adolescent offender, whose name is not being released due to his age at the time of the alleged crime, is eligible for youthful offender adjudication. If convicted of all charges as an adult, he faces a maximum of 25 years in prison.

Johnson, who was wanted on the indictment warrant, was located in Orange County, California in late December 2021. The defendant was extradited back to Buffalo in late January to face the charges for his alleged role in the shooting. If convicted of all charges, Johnson also faces a maximum of 25 years in prison.

Johnson and the adolescent offender are scheduled to return before Judge Eagan on Monday, March 14, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. for motions. Both remain held without bail.

DA Flynn commends the Amherst Police Department for their work in the investigation as well as the US Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force who located the defendant in the Rochester area.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Rebecca L. Schnirel of the Major Crimes Unit.

As are all persons accused of a crime, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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