BUFFALO — A Falls man wounded in a drive-by shooting on the Niagara Extension of the New York State Thruway (I-190) early Monday morning has been identified as a former candidate for the Niagara County Legislature.
Law enforcement sources with knowledge of the incident and the ongoing investigation said late Monday that the shooting victim was Dante Richardson, 32, of the Falls, who most recently was the Republican endorsed candidate for county legislator in the Sixth District. Richardson was treated for non-life-threatening wounds after the shooting and has reportedly been released from the hospital.
The shooting took place around 12:30 a.m. Monday, a Chevy Impala, driven by Richardson and with a female passenger in the front passenger seat, was traveling northbound on the I-190. Initial reports said that Richardson’s car was between the Ontario Street exit (14) and Sheridan Drive exit (15) on the I-190 when a dark colored vehicle pulled up alongside and a gunman fired multiple rounds into the driver’s side of the car.
Two rounds penetrated the driver’s side door, just below the door handle and a third entered the car by the front edge of the rear driver’s side door. Multiple shots hit Richardson in his legs, but he was able to keep control of his vehicle.
Law enforcement sources said when Richardson complained of losing feeling in his legs, his passenger was able to climb on top of him and continue to drive the Impala toward the Falls. The passenger also called Falls police 911 operators to alert them to the shooting.
The passenger reportedly told dispatchers she was unfamiliar with the area where the shooting took place and was driving to Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center because it was the only facility she knew how to locate. When Richardson and the passenger arrived at NFMMC, Falls police and investigators were waiting for them.
Sources told the Gazette that Richardson told police he would not cooperate with them in an investigation of the shooting and asked them to leave the medical center. Falls police said they secured Richardson’s car and the evidence inside the vehicle before turning it over to New York State Police investigators.
The State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) said Monday afternoon that it had taken over the probe of the shooting.
The inside driving lane of the I-190 northbound between the Scajaquada Expressway (Exit 11) and the Sheridan Drive/Kenmore Avenue (Exit 15) exits was closed for much of Monday afternoon as investigators walked the shoulder of the roadway looking for evidence.