Shivangi Sinha
In July 2022, police officers in the Bronx, New York, encountered a vehicle approaching them. Inside, Raymond Chaluisant was found in the passenger seat with a fatal gunshot wound to the face. He was pronounced dead at the scene, prompting authorities to launch an investigation to identify the shooter. Their search led them to Dion Middleton, a New York City Corrections Officer, who claimed he had acted in self-defense. The case was featured on A&E’s ‘Accused: Guilty or Innocent?’ in an episode titled ‘Killer Officer or Drive-by Victim?’. It explored the details surrounding the incident and the basis for Dion’s self-defense claim.
Dion Middleton Shot at a Vehicle Because He Believed He Had Been Attacked
Dion Middleton grew up in the Bronx, New York, an area often associated with high crime rates and difficult living conditions. Despite the challenges, he managed to steer clear of trouble—a feat he credits largely to his mother, who provided him with a stable upbringing and strong guidance. Determined to build a better future for himself and his family, he pursued a career in law enforcement. In 2013, he joined the New York City Department of Corrections as an officer. Believing it was a way to give back to the community he came from, Dion quickly progressed in his career. By 2018, he had earned a position in the Firearms and Tactics Unit, a significant accomplishment that reflected how far he had come both personally and professionally.
On July 21, 2022, after finishing his shift around 1 am, Dion was on his way to his girlfriend’s home. As he walked through a parking garage near the intersection of the Cross Bronx Expressway and Morris Avenue in the Bronx, he claimed he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his back. He described it as if someone had shot at him and narrowly missed. As a licensed corrections officer authorized to carry a firearm, Dion said he instinctively reached for his weapon. He spotted a car behind him and, feeling threatened, fired at the vehicle’s passenger side. Believing he had scared off whoever was in the car, he quickly left the scene and thought he had just protected himself from an imminent threat.
Dion Middleton Was Kept in Jail For Four Weeks After the Incident
However, in the passenger seat of the vehicle was 18-year-old Raymond Chaluisant, who had been shot in the face. His friend, in a state of panic, sped away from the scene and ended up crashing near a location where several police officers happened to be present. Though they quickly responded, Raymond was already deceased. At the scene, officers found a gel bead blaster that had fallen out of the car. It is a gun that appears similar to a real firearm but fires non-lethal water beads. Surveillance footage allegedly showed the driver discreetly kicking the blaster behind a dumpster. By the following morning, police had identified Dion as the shooter, and he was arrested. He was charged with first-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, and second-degree manslaughter. Dion remained in custody for four weeks before being released on a $100,000 bond. He also lost his job and felt like the world was collapsing around him.
Dion Middleton is Living Life as a Free Man Today
Dion Middleton’s trial began in October 2024, during which the prosecution raised several critical questions challenging his claim of self-defense. One of their main arguments was that Dion never called 911 after the shooting, which they suggested indicated a lack of accountability. They also pointed to his initial statements during police interrogation, where he admitted he hadn’t been hit and was aware no real gun had been fired at him. Prosecutors questioned how, if he knew he hadn’t been shot, he could justify using deadly force. Another major point of contention was the gel bead blaster that was supposedly used by Raymond. The prosecution argued that it closely resembled a toy and not a real firearm, making it implausible for Dion to have reasonably mistaken it for a lethal threat.
In his defense, Dion explained that he hadn’t called 911 because he believed there was no cause for alarm. He genuinely thought no one had been harmed and only learned about the fatality after his arrest. While he admitted he hadn’t been physically shot, Dion maintained that he felt threatened at the time. He emphasized the high-crime environment he was walking through and his past encounters with previously incarcerated individuals, which heightened his sense of danger. Regarding the weapon, the defense argued that the gel bead blaster found at the scene had been widely circulated on social media and had prompted safety warnings from multiple law enforcement agencies.
These warnings stated the toy could easily be mistaken for a real firearm, and the product itself carried advisories about this risk. In fact, the law had classified it as a weapon, which the defense used to support the credibility of Dion’s perceived threat. After hours of deliberation, the jury ultimately found Dion not guilty on all three charges. In the aftermath of the trial, he expressed a desire to shift careers and mentioned plans to train as an EMT specialist. Since then, Dion has largely kept a low profile and has stayed out of the public eye as he works toward rebuilding his life.
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