In the summer of 2018, a burst of gunfire shattered the peace of a Rochester, New York neighborhood, tragically ending the life of 30-year-old William Gibson. The fatal shooting occurred on June 20, 2018, in the parking lot of a Rite Aid on Thurston Road. Gibson, along with his friend Anthony Robertson, age 28, were sitting in a car when the hail of bullets erupted. Both men were killed in the attack.
A woman in another vehicle was also struck by the gunfire and was left paralyzed from the waist down.
From the outset, law enforcement officials believed that Gibson and Robertson were innocent bystanders, caught in a crossfire not meant for them. The investigation into the double homicide led authorities to Samuel Shaw. Evidence presented during the trial showed that Shaw fired 13 rounds in the parking lot. While a clear motive for the shooting was not definitively established by the prosecution, the evidence was sufficient to move forward with the case against him.
In May 2019, a jury found Samuel Shaw, then 29 years old, guilty of murder and assault charges for his role in the deadly shooting. His defense team attempted to contest the physical evidence brought against him and maintained his innocence throughout the trial. Shaw was subsequently sentenced for the murders of William Gibson and Anthony Robertson, bringing a measure of closure to the families of the victims who were tragically in the wrong place at the wrong time.
