Recalling a “flash and a bang” that shatted the quiet of a typical shopping day, one of the victims of the April, 2021 shooting at the Cherry Valley Stop and Shop testified Tuesday that Gabriel Wilson is the man who fired an automatic weapon three times at him, hitting him in the face.
Aram Dikici survived the encounter but a colleague, grocery manager Ray Wishropp wasn’t as fortunate. He was killed and another employee, Olivia Leary, was also severely injured. Wilson was a cart collector at the store at the time of the incident, and police and witnesses say he had earlier requested a transfer to a store closer to his home in Hempstead.
Wilson has pleaded not guilty to nine-count indictment that included second-degree murder, attempted murder and other charges. Dikici testifed that Wilson was calm “like he was an assassin” as he carried out the attack, Newsday reported.
The paper said Leary is set to testify on Wednesday. The tragic events brought out the best of the West Hempstead Community, with dozens of people bringing flowers to the site and showing support for the supermarket workers. A GoFundMe campaign on behalf of Wishropp’s family has, to date, raised almost $33,000.
The shooting led to a manhunt around the area until Wilson was arrested and charged on the basis of a witness ID. A lawyer for the defendant, Brian Carmody, has said publicly has client suffered diminished mental capacity due to a gunshot wound to the head when he was 19.
Wilson faces 25 years to life if convicted of second-degree murder.
