LOCKPORT — Niagara County District Attorney Brian D. Seaman and Lockport Police Chief Steven Abbott announced that 22 year old Joshua Z. Chandler of Lockport has been charged in the shooting that occurred in the city on July 2nd leaving one dead and another seriously injured.
A Niagara County Grand Jury heard evidence and has returned an indictment charging Chandler with Murder in the Second Degree, Assault in the First Degree, and Criminal Possession of Weapon in the Second Degree. Chandler is charged with opening fire with an illegal handgun into an occupied vehicle in a parking lot at the corner of Walnut Street and Locust Street killing 27 year old Rakeem Hamilton and seriously injuring a second occupant of the vehicle.
Chandler was arraigned on the sealed indictment by County Court Judge Caroline Wojtaszek who remanded the defendant to jail without the possibility of bail to await trial.
A charge is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
