Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that a Queens County grand jury has indicted a Far Rockaway man for murder in the shooting death of a 45-year-old Queens resident, a week before Christmas. The defendant is alleged to have shot the victim several times on December 18, 2019, shortly after 6 p.m. on Rockaway Beach Boulevard.

The District Attorney’s Office identified the defendant as Michael Hall, 33, of Beach Channel Drive in the Far Rockaway neighborhood of Queens. The defendant was arraigned Friday on a 6-count indictment charging him with second-degree murder, second degree criminal possession of a weapon and endangering the welfare of a child. Queens Supreme Court Justice Richard L. Buchter remanded the defendant when his defense lawyer reserved a bail application for a later date. Justice Buchter ordered the defendant to return to court on April 9, 2020. If convicted, Hall faces up to 25 years to life in prison.

According to the charges, said District Attorney Katz, shortly after 6 p.m. on December 18, 2019, the defendant was allegedly observed on video surveillance in front of a deli at 87-18 Rockaway Blvd. The victim, Dion Gumby, was seen a short time later on the same video surveillance at the location and he and the defendant had a brief conversation. As the 45-year-old victim walked away, the defendant allegedly drew a handgun, cocked it and fired several times at the victim. The man was struck in his arm, chest and abdomen and died from those injuries. The defendant fired the weapon in front of a number of people, some of whom were children.

Assistant District Attorney Courtney Finnerty of the Homicide Trials Bureau, with the assistance of Kaitlyn M. Gaskin, of the Homicide Investigations Bureau, are prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Brad A. Leventhal, Bureau Chief of the Homicide Trials Bureau, John W. Kosinski, Deputy Bureau Chief, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Daniel A. Saunders.

It should be noted that an indictment is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.