Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane announces that a jury found Dale O. Cummings, 32, of no permanent address, guilty of one count of Murder in the First Degree (Class “A-I” felony), one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree (Class “C” violent felony) and one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree (Class “D” felony). Jurors rendered their decision this evening after approximately two hours of deliberation, convicting the defendant of the highest count in the indictment.
On Saturday, April 27, 2024, at approximately 12:30 p.m., Buffalo Police responded to a shooting on the 100 block of Zenner Street. Two victims, 59-year-old Babul Meah and 39-year-old Abu Yousuf, were fatally injured by gunfire. The defendant, who was unlawfully occupying the upper apartment of the vacant residence, intentionally shot the victims multiple times with an illegal rifle. Both victims, who were working as handymen, were killed as they entered the property to perform repairs at the house.
The next day, Sunday, April 28, 2024, at approximately 6:17 p.m., Buffalo Police located the defendant, who matched the description of the suspect provided by eyewitnesses, in the area of East Delavan and Norfolk Avenues. During their investigation, police found a loaded rifle with a high-capacity magazine inside of a backpack carried by the defendant. Forensic analysis determined that the recovered weapon was a projectile match to the gun used to kill both victims. Additionally, the rifle was a major DNA profile match to the defendant.
Cummings faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole when he is sentenced before Erie County Court Judge Sheila A. DiTillio on Friday, July 25, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. He remains held without bail.
“I am pleased to announce that a jury found the defendant guilty of these horrific and senseless murders. These two men were working as handymen when they encountered an armed squatter inside a vacant home. Tragically, their lives ended when this defendant intentionally shot both victims with an illegal semi-automatic rifle near the entrance and continued to fire shots as they retreated outside. The victims are survived by their wives and several children, and I hope their families feel justice has been served by this defendant being convicted,” said Erie County District Attorney Mike Keane.
DA Keane commends Lieutenant Peter C. Nigrelli, Detective Sgt. Keith Fitzner, Detective Scott Malec, Detective Mark White, Detective Raymond Krug and members of Buffalo Police Department SWAT for their work in this investigation as well as Erie County Central Police Services forensics laboratory and ECDA Confidential Criminal Investigator Sal Valvo.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Christopher S. Safulko of the Homicide Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Ryan A. Emmerling of the Special Investigations and Prosecutions Bureau.