An off-duty NYC Corrections Officer has been arrested and charged with murder for the fatal shooting of an 18-year-old male in the Mount Hope section of The Bronx. Video courtesy of the Citizens’ App.

 

An off-duty NYC Corrections Officer has been arrested and charged with murder for allegedly fatally shooting an 18-year-old male in the Mount Hope section of The Bronx.

 

An NYPD spokesperson said, “On Thursday, July 21, 2022, at approximately 01.35 hours, police responded to a pick-up 911 call of [a] male shot at the northwest corner of the Grand Concourse and East Tremont, within the confines of the 46 Precinct.”

 

The spokesperson added, “Upon arrival, officers observed an 18-year-old male, unconscious and unresponsive with a gunshot wound to his face. EMS responded to the scene and transported the victim to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.”

 

Police said upon further investigation, the incident location was determined to be on the southeast corner of the Cross Bronx Expressway and Morris Avenue in Mt. Hope. They said a crime scene was immediately established at both locations and one shell casing was discovered outside the northwest corner of the Grand Concourse and East Tremont.

 

The deceased was identified as Raymond Chaluisant, 18, of Valentine Avenue in Fordham Heights in The Bronx.

 

A police spokesperson later said Dion Middleton, 45, was arrested and charged with murder, manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon.

 

Police later told Norwood News that a type of weapon resembling a “bead blaster” was found in a car belonging to the victim at the scene of the incident though the spokesperson said it was unclear if the weapon had been discharged at the scene or not. As reported by The Gothamist, police later posted a tweet on Thursday in which the department confirmed that bead blasters are air rifles and unlawful to possess in New York City. They did not reference the Fordham Heights incident in the tweet.

Bead Blasters shoot gel water beads propelled by a spring-loaded air pump, making them an air rifle. Air rifles are a violation in NYC & are unlawful to possess.

Violators found in possession of these will be issued a criminal summons & the weapon will be confiscated. pic.twitter.com/otLkGAHFu4

— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) July 21, 2022

Meanwhile, The NY Daily News reported that a family member of the teen victim said the 18-year-old had been playing with friends, shooting a water gun amid the prevailing heatwave.

 

A person arrested and charged with a crime is deemed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.

 

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/ or on Twitter @NYPDTips.

 

All calls are strictly confidential.