Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane announces that a 16-year-old male from Buffalo was sentenced on Wednesday morning before Youth Part Judge Brenda Freedman. The juvenile offender received an indeterminate sentence of 2 to 6 years of incarceration. He was denied youthful offender adjudication.
On Saturday, June 15, 2024, at approximately 1:00 a.m., the victim was confronted by a group of young males on Maple Ridge Avenue in the City of Buffalo. The juvenile offender intentionally fired multiple shots from an illegal handgun toward the victim. The 15-year-old male victim was taken by ambulance to ECMC where he was treated for a gunshot wound to his leg. He continues to recover from the serious physical injury. The juvenile offender, who was 14-years-old at the time of the shooting, was later arrested. Our office will not be releasing his name due to his age at the time of the crime.
In January 2026, the juvenile offender pleaded guilty to one count of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, one count of Assault in the First Degree (Class B violent felonies) and one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree (Class C violent felony). He entered a guilty plea to all counts in the indictment as jury selection was set to begin in his trial.
Today, a final order of protection was issued on behalf of the victim, which remains in effect until April 2034.
DA Keane commends Detective Natasha Anderson of the Buffalo Police Department for her work in this investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Briana R.D. Kalman of the Major Crimes Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Taylor L. Yensan of the Raise the Age/Motor Vehicle Theft Insurance Fraud Unit.