Modified: February 13, 2017 4:17pm
Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 19-year-old Andre Fuller of Buffalo has been sentenced by Erie County Court Judge Thomas P. Franczyk to 19 years in prison and five years post-release supervision.
In November 2016, Fuller pleaded guilty to Attempted Murder in the Second Degree and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree for attempting to shoot a Buffalo police officer.
On June 15th around 11:30 p.m. at Doat Street and Stewart Avenue in Buffalo, BPD Officer Anthony Fanara spotted Fuller fleeing the scene of a robbery.
Officer Fanara jumped out of his patrol car to chase down the suspect. Officers Joseph Acquino and Bradford Pitts who were in a separate police car also joined the foot chase.
Officer Fanara caught up with the armed suspect, wrestled him to the ground and was trying to grab the loaded .45 caliber handgun from his hands when the defendant pressed the gun into Fanara’s chest twice and admitted to pulling the trigger; but, the weapon did not fire. At that time, Officer Acquino was able to knock the weapon from Fuller’s hand and the suspect was handcuffed by Officer Pitts.
Paul C. Parisi, Chief of DA Flaherty’s Tactical Prosecution Unit and Assistant District Attorney Ashley M. Morgan prosecuted the case.