By Forum Staff
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Dante Hunter and Shamel Capers have been arraigned on an indictment charging Hunter with murder and Capers with attempted murder in the fatal shooting of 19-year-old Joshua Taylor in Middle Village on July 23, 2023. Evidence uncovered during the investigation of the incident indicated that the round which struck the victim was fired by Hunter.
Hunter, 25, of Far Rockaway, was recently arraigned on a seven-count indictment charging him with murder in the second degree, attempted murder in the second degree, four counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree and reckless endangerment in the first degree.
Capers, 24, of Brooklyn, was recently arraigned on the same indictment charging him with attempted murder in the second degree, four counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree and reckless endangerment in the first degree.
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Taylor was later caught in the crossfire and hit by a single round in the chest. He was taken to Elmhurst Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
According to the charges:
On July 23, 2023, at approximately 3:17 a.m., Joshua Taylor of Brooklyn was with several other individuals in front of 79-28 Metropolitan Ave.
A friend of Taylor’s threw a drink he was holding in the general direction of Capers and Capers’ friend, both of whom had exited a nearby convenience store at the time. A verbal dispute followed between the two groups, with Hunter joining Capers.
Several minutes later, the argument escalated into a four-way shootout with Hunter drawing his firearm before the others.
Taylor was caught in the crossfire and hit by a single round in the chest. He was taken to Elmhurst Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
More than two dozen 9 mm shell casings were recovered at the scene and an investigation was launched into the incident.
Capers was subsequently identified using surveillance footage from nearby locations and financial records for a credit and debit card he used immediately before the incident.
Hunter was already in custody on a parole warrant at the time of the indictment.
Capers was arrested on May 16 in New Jersey and extradited last month to face charges.
“Gun violence has caused immense tragedy in our neighborhoods, steering too many of our young people toward choices that negatively impact the rest of their lives. It is a challenge that we continue to address,” Katz said. “Following a painstaking process of evidence gathering, we have secured an indictment on very serious charges against both defendants for the early morning shootout that left one person dead. We will continue to dedicate all resources at our disposal to combating the scourge of gun violence in this borough.”
If convicted of the top count, Hunter faces up to 25 years to life and Capers faces up to 25 years in prison.
