John Reilly, 48, highway superintendent for the town of Chester, New York, about 50 miles north of New York City, was arrested last Saturday after shooting a DoorDash courier. He is now charged with assault and unlawful possession of a firearm.
According to police reports, Reilly allegedly fired several shots at the delivery man, striking him in the back and causing serious injuries.
Shortly before the incident, the victim was looking for the correct residence to make a delivery and was moving from door to door to ask for directions. When he knocked on Reilly’s door, Reilly angrily told him to get off his property and shortly thereafter opened fire.
DoorDash released a statement to the New York Times, saying they were deeply shaken by what happened and offered full cooperation to authorities. “We are devastated by this senseless act of violence and wish our Dasher a speedy recovery,” the company’s note read.
The 48-year-old man, who is also reported to be a licensed firearms dealer, was transferred to the Orange County Jail. His detention was ordered with the following conditions: $250,000 cash, $500,000 bail or $750,000 partially secured bail, according to police reports. A preliminary hearing is set for May 9 in Chester City Court.
There have been several past incidents where delivery drivers or other innocent motorists were shot at while asking for directions or approaching the wrong house.
In Kansas City, Missouri in April 2023 Ralph Yarl, a 16-year-old, was shot after mistakenly knocking on the wrong door while trying to pick up his younger brothers. The homeowner, Andrew Lester, fired at him through the glass door, critically injuring him.
The same month, Hebron, New York, saw one of the most notorious incidents take place when Kevin Monahan, a 65-year-old homeowner, opened fire on a car that had mistakenly pulled into his driveway, killing 20-year-old Kaylin Gillis. Monahan was convicted of second-degree murder in January 2024 and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison in March 2024.
This case sparked discussions about gun violence, mistaken identity, and homeowner self-defense laws. Many companies have since introduced GPS tracking, safety alerts, and driver training to reduce risks.
