Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 20-year-old Jason L. Washington, Jr. of Buffalo was sentenced this morning before Erie County Court Judge Susan Eagan to a determinate sentence of 25 years in prison followed by 5 years of post-release supervision. He was sentenced today as a second felony offender.

On August 31, 2019, at approximately 7:00 p.m., the defendant was involved in a fight with other individuals at Emerson Park near Sycamore Street and Koons Avenue in the City of Buffalo. The incident occurred as a little league football game was ending at the park. The defendant attempted to fire a shot from an illegal weapon at the male victim’s head, but the gun did not fire. When a youth football coach attempted to break up the altercation and hit the defendant in the head with a football helmet, the defendant fired multiple shots at the coach.

The coach, 36-year-old Norzell “Nore” Aldridge of Cheektowaga, was hit in the side of his torso by gunfire. He died at the hospital. The other victim, a 20-year-old male, was injured in the shooting. He was taken by ambulance to ECMC where he was treated and released for a gunshot wound to his shoulder.

A jury found Washington guilty of one count of Manslaughter in the First Degree (Class “B” violent felony), one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree (Class “C” violent felony) and one count of Assault in the Second Degree (Class “D” felony). He was acquitted of the other charges in the indictment against him. The jury rendered their decision after four hours of deliberation following a 3 ½ day trial in March 2022.

DA Flynn commends the Buffalo Police Department for their work in the investigation, including retired Det. Sgt. William Cooley and retired Det. Jason Mayhook.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Eugene T. Partridge, III of the Homicide Bureau and Assistant District Attorney David M. Zak of the Felony Trials Bureau.