Hempstead man convicted of attempted murder in bar shooting that paralyzed security guard
Mineola, NY – A 34-year-old Hempstead man has been convicted on all counts for a 2023 shooting outside a Freeport bar that left a 23-year-old security guard paralyzed and seriously injured a second victim.
Tiray Clemmons was found guilty on September 16 after less than five hours of jury deliberation following a trial before Judge Meryl Berkowitz in Nassau County Court. The charges include two counts of attempted murder in the second degree, two counts of assault in the first degree, criminal use of a firearm, and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon.
The shooting happened on July 15, 2023, at Agua on the Mile, a bar located on Freeport’s Nautical Mile. Prosecutors said Clemmons had a verbal altercation with the bar’s manager and was denied re-entry by security. Minutes later, he returned in a black sedan, stepped out, and opened fire on the security guard with a .357 handgun.
Clemmons fired six rounds, striking the security guard in the back and hitting a second, unintended victim in the neck and groin. Both men were rushed to South Nassau Hospital, where they underwent emergency surgery. The security guard suffered irreversible spinal injuries and is now paralyzed from the neck down. He requires around-the-clock care and cannot care for his young daughter.
The second victim survived but sustained significant injuries from two gunshot wounds.
Following the shooting, Clemmons fled the scene and threw the firearm into a canal behind the bar. It was later recovered by Nassau County Police divers on July 19. He was arrested on the night of the shooting by members of the Nassau County Police Department’s Gang Investigations Squad, First Precinct Squad, and Freeport Police.
Clemmons faces up to 50 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for October 16.
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Key Points
- Tiray Clemmons was convicted of all counts in a 2023 Freeport bar shooting that left two men injured
- A 23-year-old security guard was paralyzed after being shot in the back; a bystander was also wounded
- Clemmons faces up to 50 years in prison at sentencing on October 16