MINEOLA, N.Y. – Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced that a former Valley Stream mechanic has been sentenced to 10 years in prison and four years of post-release supervision for a 2016 incident in which he fired a gun into his former place of employment, an auto repair shop.
Christopher Hicks, 33, was convicted on September 28 following a bench trial before Supreme Court Justice William Donnino of Attempted Assault in the First Degree (a B Violent Felony), two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree (a C felony), Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree (a D felony) and two counts of Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree (a D felony).
“This defendant could have killed any of the innocent people in that auto repair shop when he shot at former coworkers in a fit of rage following his termination,” DA Singas said. “It is a miracle that no one was killed in this shooting spree and I am grateful to the Nassau Police and our prosecutors for ensuring that this predator will be held accountable.”
DA Singas said on August 15, 2016, the defendant was fired from his place of employment, County Truck and Auto, an auto repair shop in Valley Stream. He had been employed by the shop for three and a half weeks. As the defendant left the shop at 3:30pm, he smashed a muffler through the back of a customer’s car window, causing significant damage. Hicks then exited the shop and returned in his car with a loaded .380 handgun and fired it three to four times into the bays of the shop where employees were working. No one was injured, but one of the shots just missed striking an employee. The defendant was arrested by members of the NCPD 30 minutes later at his home in Valley Stream.
Assistant District Attorney Rachael Whalen and Stephanie Hernan of DA Singas’ County Court Trial Bureau are prosecuting this case. The defendant is represented by Pietrina Reda, Esq.
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