A Long Beach man was convicted of murder on Tuesday, Aug. 19, for firing six rounds and killing 33-year-old Shawn Usher at the Channel Park Homes, according to Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly.
Ronnie Sutton, 52, was found guilty of second-degree murder. He was previously convicted of two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the same incident.
Sutton is due back in court on Oct. 3 for sentencing and faces a maximum of up to 40 years to life in prison, according to the DA.
Donnelly said that on April 7, 2023, Sutton was riding his bike through the Sycamore Court parking lot in the Channel Park Homes in Long Beach when he rode past Usher, who was standing in the lot next to his vehicle.
Sutton and Usher engaged in a verbal argument, and Sutton pulled a gun out of his jacket and fired at Usher, according to Donnelly.
She said as Usher ran, Sutton chased him and continued to shoot, even as Usher fell to the ground. Sutton fired six rounds, striking Usher five times, Donnelly said.
After Usher was hit and fell to the ground, Sutton pistol-whipped him in the head, and then got on his bike and rode away, the DA said.
Sutton hid the weapon in a bush on the side of a house on E. Market Street, which was recovered by members of the Long Beach Police Department a few days after the shooting, Donnelly said.
Usher was transported to Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital in Long Beach by the Long Beach Fire Department and was pronounced deceased roughly one hour after the incident, Donnelly said.
Usher suffered several gunshot wounds, including a fatal shot that pierced his lung and heart, the DA said.
Sutton was arrested on April 19, 2023, Donnelly said.
“Ronnie Sutton had every opportunity to walk away from an argument he had with Shawn Usher, but instead he chose to escalate the situation into a brutal attack,” the DA said.
