On a tragic spring evening in Syracuse, New York, the life of 11-month-old Dior DJanae Harris, a female, was cut short by a senseless act of violence. On April 11, 2021, Dior was in a car with her mother and other family members on Grant Avenue when another vehicle approached and shots were fired. The infant was struck by the gunfire, along with her two young cousins who were also in the back seat.
Dior’s mother and an older cousin in the front of the vehicle were not physically harmed.
The investigation into the shooting led to the arrests of two men, Chavez R. Ocasio and Jesse Outley. Authorities identified Ocasio as the driver of the vehicle from which the shots were fired, and Outley was identified as the shooter. The community mourned the loss of the baby girl, and the case brought attention to the devastating impact of gun violence. It was determined that Dior was not the intended target of the shooting.
Chavez Ocasio, the driver, eventually cooperated with prosecutors. He pleaded guilty to charges of attempted murder and criminal possession of a weapon. In exchange for his cooperation, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Jesse Outley, the man identified as the shooter, faced a trial for his role in the death of Dior Harris. He was ultimately convicted of murder, four counts of attempted murder, and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon. A judge sentenced Outley to a term of 40 years to life in prison.
