On a warm Memorial Day evening, May 27, 2019, what began as a festive cookout at the Hillcrest Village Apartments in Niskayuna, New York, descended into violence, ending the life of 21-year-old Ayanna Hunter. A former standout basketball player at Albany High School, Hunter was fatally shot during a confrontation that erupted at the gathering. She was rushed to Ellis Hospital where she was pronounced dead.
The ensuing investigation by law enforcement painted a complex and tragic picture
of the events that transpired. According to the Schenectady County District Attorney, Ayanna Hunter was the initial aggressor in the altercation. She had arrived at the party with her friend, Angela Rondon, and after a brief discussion, drew a handgun and fired at least one shot at Wayne Brown. Brown, who was 18 at the time, and another man, 19-year-old Pierre D. Thompson, both returned fire. Hunter was struck by a single bullet in her side, which proved to be the fatal wound.
In the aftermath, a Schenectady County grand jury heard testimony from 24 witnesses and reviewed 270 pieces of evidence. The grand jury ultimately determined that the actions of Wayne Brown and Pierre Thompson were legally justified as self-defense because Hunter had fired first. Consequently, no homicide charges were filed against them. However, both men faced other serious charges. Brown and Thompson were indicted on charges of criminal possession of a weapon and tampering with physical evidence for disposing of the firearms used in the shooting. Thompson also faced an additional charge for illegally possessing a firearm at his home. In November 2019, Thompson pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a weapon and was later sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison. Brown was ultimately sentenced to 8 1/2 years in prison.
The legal repercussions extended beyond the two shooters. Angela Rondon was charged with reckless endangerment for encouraging Hunter to engage in the gun battle, as well as criminal possession of a weapon and tampering with physical evidence for hiding Hunter's gun from the police. In November 2019, Rondon pleaded guilty to first-degree reckless endangerment and was later sentenced to six months in jail and five years of probation. The cycle of violence continued weeks after Hunter's death. On July 4, 2019, Ayanna's stepfather, Jason Sellie, sought revenge and shot Wayne Brown in the torso in Schenectady. Sellie was subsequently arrested and charged with attempted murder, among other offenses. In December 2019, he pleaded guilty to first-degree attempted assault and was sentenced in February 2020 to 10 years in prison, the most significant sentence of anyone involved in the tragic saga.
