Four Charged in Shooting Death of Hudson Valley MLB Prospect

Four man have been charged in the shooting death of a 23-year-old Hudson Valley Major League Baseball prospect.

17-year-old Nashaun Hunter, of the Bronx, was charged with second-degree murder, a felony. Garth O'Neil Cole, 22, of Mount Vernon, 23 year old Tejmitra Singh, and 18-year-old Darren Dawson, both of the Bronx, were all charged with first-degree assault, felonies. All four men were also charged with two counts of 2nd-degree criminal possession of a weapon, felonies.

On September 18, 2015 around 12:30 a.m., 23-year-old Michael Nolan, of Yonkers, was shot in the head as he stood outside of his car at a Yonkers Burger King. Nolan was brought to Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx where he remained in a coma until he was declared dead on Oct. 9, 2015. He was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 18th round of the 2014 MLB draft

According to the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, on the night of the shooting Nolan was standing near his black Mercedes loaner car when a white Toyota Camry slowly rolled up alongside him. Inside the vehicle, the four defendants. 6 shots were fired from the back driver’s side window. One hit Nolan.
.25 caliber shell casings were found at the scene. A .25 caliber bullet was recovered from the victim's body.

An extensive investigation by the Yonkers Police Department and the Westchester County District Attorney's office revealed that the shooting was in retaliation for the beating of an individual known to the suspects and related to events that took place during a drag race two nights before the shooting.

"The allegations in the indictment are frightening,” Acting Westchester District Attorney James A. McCarty said in a press release. “It's alleged that Nashaun Hunter aided and abetted by Garth O'Neil Cole, Darren Dawson and Tejmitra Singh piled into a car and drove to a fast food restaurant at which point the car they were in slowed so that Hunter could fire six shots and kill Michael Nolan, an innocent young man with a promising future."

The 2nd degree murder charge brings a maximum of 25 years to life in prison. The assault charges come with a maximum of 25 years in prison.