Plea In Twice-Unsuccessful Murder Try

A man who shot at someone on two occasions has pleaded guilty to attempted murder. The first time, he missed entirely. The second time, he injured his target severely.

James McNair, about to turn 24, is scheduled for sentencing Oct. 10. Under the plea agreement, he is expected to be sentenced to 10 years in state prison.

Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. announced that the Yonkers resident pleaded guilty Tuesday to two counts of Attempted Murder, class B violent felonies.

In the first incident Jan. 14, 2018, in front of a delicatessen at 373 Warburton Ave. in Yonkers, McNair aimed a loaded firearm at his intended victim and fired three times at close range. No one was hit by the bullets. The incident was captured on video surveillance.

In the second incident, Jan. 20, in an apartment building at 296 Woodworth Ave., McNair opened fire on the same man, this time striking him with a bullet that caused serious injury to the victim’s leg and back. Portions of this incident also were captured by video surveillance.

The victim was hospitalized for an extended period of time, but never cooperated with the police or prosecutors.

Detectives from the Major Case Squad and Crime Scene Unit responded to both scenes, interviewing subjects, canvassing for witnesses and surveillance video, and processing forensic and ballistic evidence. An intensive investigation led to McNair's arrest. Police said McNair and the victim, a 29-year-old Yonkers man, knew each other, and the shootings were the result of a dispute that escalated to violence.

Yonkers police arrested McNair Jan. 23.

SEE: Arrest After Second Murder Attempt: Police