Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 26-year-old Ivan L. Gilbert of Buffalo was sentenced this morning before Erie County Court Judge James Bargnesi to a determinate sentence of 12 years in prison followed by 5 years of post-release supervision.  

On October 14, 2020, at approximately 11:00 p.m., the male victim was sitting in the passenger seat of a vehicle parked outside of a store on East Amherst Street in the City of Buffalo when the defendant approached while armed with an illegal pistol. The defendant, with the intent to cause the victim’s death, fired multiple shots into the vehicle. The victim was hit once in the neck, but survived. A 4-year-old child, who was sitting in the backseat, was unharmed.

The defendant was located a short time later by Buffalo Police officers who witnessed him attempting to discard the illegal weapon. He was also linked to the recovered weapon through DNA evidence.

Gilbert pleaded guilty to one count of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree (Class “B” violent felony), the highest count in the indictment against him, on May 19, 2021.

DA Flynn commends the Buffalo Police Department for their work in the investigation.  

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Christopher S. Safulko of the Tactical Prosecution Unit and Chief Patrick Shanahan of the Felony Trials Bureau.