On a warm summer night in the Bronx, what began as youthful fun took a tragic turn, ending the life of 18-year-old Hispanic male Raymond Chaluisant on July 21, 2022. Chaluisant and his friends were out in a car, participating in a popular social media trend involving toy guns that shoot water-filled gel beads. Shortly after 1 a.m., near the Cross Bronx Expressway and Morris Avenue, their paths crossed with an off-duty New York City correction officer.
The officer, later identified as
45-year-old Dion Middleton, was allegedly struck in the back by a pellet from a toy water gun. Believing his life was in danger, Middleton, a firearms instructor, fired his weapon at the vehicle Chaluisant was a passenger in. A single bullet struck Chaluisant in the face. His friends rushed him to a nearby hospital, but he could not be saved and was pronounced dead. A toy "bead blaster" gun was later found at the scene.
Following the incident, Middleton did not report the shooting and instead went to work later that morning, where he was apprehended by the NYPD. He was subsequently arrested and charged with second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, and second-degree manslaughter. The case went to trial, where Middleton’s defense argued that he acted in self-defense, perceiving a genuine threat in a neighborhood known for frequent shootings. The prosecution countered that Middleton's firearm was the only real weapon and that he had intentionally fired at the teenager.
After less than two days of deliberation, a jury found Dion Middleton not guilty on all charges on October 17, 2024. The jury concluded that Middleton had sufficient reason to fire his weapon in self-defense. Following the verdict, the Correction Officers' Benevolent Association, which had supported Middleton throughout the trial, stated that justice had been served. The officer, who had been suspended without pay, was exonerated of all criminal liability in the death of Raymond Chaluisant.
