Shakim Allen and Dreshaun Smith were found guilty of the murder of a Guyanese man who was in New York in January 2017 to attend the burial of his grandmother.
Both men were charged guilty of murder and other offenses after shooting two brothers, which resulted in the killing of one of the young men, during a robbery in Richmond Hill in January 2017, according to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz.
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Katz stated, “One of the victims, who was visiting from Guyana, lost his life trying to protect his younger brother.
“This family has experienced tremendous grief and I hope this conviction provides them a measure of closure.
“The defendants face long sentences for their callous actions.”
According to reports, on January 2, 2017, defendant Smith was driving a two-door Mercedes-Benz when defendant Allen stepped out and pointed a revolver at Sonny Kalisaran, who was 24 years old.
Rocky Kalisaran, 31, of Guyana, who was waiting nearby and observed the altercation, went to his brother’s rescue as Kalisaran attempted to flee. The two guys then escaped, and Allen chased after them.
After catching up to the brothers, Allen engaged the older victim in a struggle for his gun, which then fired. The younger victim begged for assistance as he repeatedly stabbed and slashed Allen in the face with a keychain pen knife.
Defendant Smith approached them at that point, got out of the car with a pistol aloft, and started firing repeatedly at the two victims.
He hit the older victim in the chest, lower torso, and leg, and the younger Kalisaran sibling in the arm and back as he ran. The younger victim’s wallet and mobile phone were eventually scooped up off the ground by Allen, who then re-entered the vehicle with the other defendant and started driving away.
Evidence from the defendants’ cell sites introduced at trial proved that they left the crime scene and drove to Cohen Children’s Hospital in New Hyde Park. Before going to the hospital to receive treatment for his stab and slash wounds, defendant Allen was captured on camera throwing away Sonny Kalisaran’s wallet and phone in a sewer.
Near around 6:45 p.m. the same day, the fire department was called to a car fire at a Jamaica parking lot at 186th Street and 104th Avenue.
When the police came, they discovered the burned-out car to be a Mercedes-Benz coupe with Smith’s girlfriend’s registration. Prior to being detected, Smith was seen on security film buying fuel and igniting the automobile.
Both victims were transferred to a neighboring hospital following the crime. Rocky Kalisaran, the older victim, passed away from his gunshot wounds later that day.
A jury in Queens Supreme Court found Allen and Smith guilty of murder in the second degree, attempted murder in the second degree, assault in the first degree, robbery in the first degree, unlawful possession of a weapon in the second degree, and tampering with tangible evidence.
On April 25, the offenders could get penalties from life in prison to more than 50 years from Queens Supreme Court Justice Ira Margulis.
