NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- A man was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for fatally shooting a man at point-blank range inside a Queens apartment in 2020, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Monday.
Tyrell Dennis, 34, was convicted in June of murder, two counts of criminal possession of a weapon and menacing. He was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.
According to the charges, at approximately 6:27 a.m. on Aug. 1, 2020 Dennis entered an apartment building at 22-27 Dix Ave. in Far Rockaway, approached a woman who was in the mailroom and pointed a gun at her head. He pushed the woman through a doorway and questioned her about the location of certain individuals.
Dennis then proceeded to the first floor of the building where 35-year-old Eric Thomas lived. A short time later, a man exited Thomas' apartment leaving the door open.
Thomas was about to leave the apartment when Dennis approached him, pulled a gun from his waistband, pointed it at Thomas and shot him once in the chest.
Dennis then fled the building.
Thomas was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Dennis was arrested in Pennsylvania on unrelated charges on November 28, 2020 then extradited to New York.
"Senseless gun violence has tragically cut short too many lives including that of this victim. The defendant is being held accountable for his brutal actions and we will not let up in our efforts to remove illegal weapons from our streets," District Attorney Katz said.
