WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2005

D.A. BROWN: FORMER DIALYSIS PATIENT CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER
OF NURSE IN MONDAY’S SHOOTING AT QUEENS DIALYSIS CENTER
Faces Up to 25 Years in Prison

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown announced today that a Queens man has been charged with attempted murder of a nurse at an Astoria dialysis center earlier this week. The man was a former patient at the center.

District Attorney Brown said, “This was a shocking incident in which a woman who has dedicated her life to saving lives was almost killed in her workplace. Fortunately, she survived her terrifying ordeal and is expected to make a full recovery. The case is just one more glaring example of mindless gun-related violence that recklessly puts people’s lives at risk.”

The District Attorney identified the defendant as Wilford Alston, 64, of 41-11 12th Street in Long Island City, Queens. Alston has been charged with Attempted Murder in the First Degree, Assault in the First Degree, Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second and Third Degree. He faces a sentence of up to 25 years in prison if convicted.

District Attorney Brown said that according to the complaint, the defendant, on Monday, September 5, 2005, walked into the Western Queens Dialysis Center, located at 34-01 35th Avenue in Astoria, Queens, armed with a loaded .357 revolver and fired a single round of ammunition. One of the bullets hit dialysis technician Eva Rashid, 41, once in the abdomen, seriously wounding her. The defendant pointed the gun at other individuals inside the center and fired numerous additional rounds of ammunition before he fled.

According to District Attorney Brown, it is alleged that the defendant admitted that he entered the dialysis center with a knife and a loaded .357 handgun and fired numerous shots and then fled the location and reloaded his gun.

The District Attorney said that the defendant was arrested shortly after the incident and recovered was a loaded .357 revolver containing six live rounds of ammunition and a knife. The defendant is being held pending arraignment.

The investigation was conducted by Police Officer Daniel Collins and Detectives Michael Gaine and Lawrence Moore of the New York City Police Department’s 114th Detective Squad under the supervision of Lieutenant Stephen Borchers.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Rachel E. Buchter of the District Attorney’s Career Criminal Major Crimes Bureau under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney James W. Evangelou, Bureau Chief, and Brad A. Leventhal, Deputy Chief and investigated by Assistant District Attorney Michael J. Watling of the District Attorney’s Narcotics Trials Bureau under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Kenneth C. Holder, Bureau Chief, and Kevin M. Duddy and Karen H. Rankin, Deputy Bureau Chiefs and the overall supervision of Senior Executive Assistant District Attorney for Trials James C. Quinn and Deputy Executive Assistant District Attorney for Trials John H. Larsen.

It should be noted that criminal charges are merely accusations and that a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.