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CHESTER, NY — A public official and federally licensed firearms dealer is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly shooting a DoorDash driver who was attempting to deliver food in a residential neighborhood and became lost.
On the night of May 2, 2025, around 9:50 p.m., the New York State Police were notified that a gunshot victim had arrived at Garnet Health Medical Center. The victim, a 24-year-old DoorDash delivery driver, had been trying to navigate the Valerie Drive neighborhood in Chester when he reportedly lost GPS service. After stopping at multiple residences to ask for directions, he approached the home of 48-year-old John J. Reilly III.
According to investigators, Reilly—who serves as the Town of Chester Highway Superintendent and is a federally licensed firearms dealer—told the driver to leave his property. As the driver returned to his vehicle and began to reverse away, Reilly allegedly fired multiple rounds, striking the man once in the back and causing serious physical injury.
Surveillance footage reportedly shows Reilly initially firing into his yard and yelling at the driver before shooting at the vehicle as the driver attempted to leave.
Reilly was arrested by the New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation at SP Monroe and charged with the following:
- Assault in the First Degree (Class B Felony)
- Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree (Class C Felony)
- Criminal Possession of a Firearm (Class E Felony)
He was arraigned at the Orange County Centralized Arraignment Part and remanded to the Orange County Jail with bail set at $250,000 cash, $500,000 bond, or $750,000 partially secured bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 9, 2025, in the Town of Chester Court.
The victim, who had only recently moved to the U.S. and is described by family as a quiet and kind individual, continues to recover in the hospital following surgery. His family has expressed gratitude that he survived, but they are calling for justice.
Reilly did not respond to media inquiries, and a spokesperson for DoorDash condemned the incident, stating, “No one should ever fear for their safety just for trying to make deliveries in their neighborhood.”
This incident highlights a deeply troubling example of irresponsibility and excessive force, particularly from someone entrusted with public office and a federal firearms license. Lawful gun ownership demands a high level of judgment and restraint. The decision to fire at a person who posed no imminent threat, especially as they were leaving, shows a reckless disregard for both the law and the responsibility that comes with owning and carrying firearms. Public officials and FFL holders are expected to set an example—not violate the core tenets of lawful self-defense.
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