Echoing earlier case, self-defense hinted at in latest fatal shooting at Erie Quick Stop

On May 16, for the second time in less than three years, video cameras captured a fatal shooting from start to finish at the Quick Stop convenience store at West 18th and Chestnut streets in Erie.

The similarities do not end there.

The defendant in the May 16 shooting is raising the same defense that the defendant put forth in the previous fatal shooting, which happened in October 2020.

The defendant in the May 16 shooting, 26-year-old Jaquan O. Harris, told police that he shot the victim, 22-year-old Jalen Rieger-Williams, in self-defense just as an unarmed Rieger-Williams walked inside the store, according to testimony at Harris' preliminary hearing on Thursday.

"Dude was about to kill me," Harris said in an interview with police, according to testimony.

In the previous case, the defendant, Kyontia L. Blanks, said he acted in self-defense in fatally shooting 40-year-old Frederick Perry on Oct. 21, 2020, as Blanks stood outside the front of the Quick Stop and an unarmed Perry got out of his newly parked car. Blanks, who shot Perry in the chest and shoulder at point-blank range, said Perry had threatened to kill him weeks earlier in a dispute over a woman.

Blanks, 27, was convicted of voluntary manslaughter at a jury trial in Erie County Common Pleas Court in January and was sentenced to nine to 18 years in state prison in February.

The Erie County District Attorney's Office said wanted a murder conviction, arguing that Blanks intended to kill Perry, that the killing was completely unjustified and that Blanks' claims of self-defense were unfounded. In convicting Blanks of voluntary manslaughter, the jury found that he intended to kill Perry, though under the mistaken belief that Blanks needed to use deadly force to protect himself.

The lead prosecutor in the Harris case, Assistant District Attorney Nick Maskrey, helped prosecute the Blanks case.

'He indicated that people had been after him'

A similar dispute over intent could occur in Harris' case in Common Pleas Court, where he faces charges including first-degree murder, a premeditated killing. Erie 3rd Ward District Judge Tom Carney sent all the charges against Harris to Common Pleas Court at the end of Thursday's preliminary hearing.

Based on testimony at the hearing, Harris told police that Rieger-Williams, the victim, had to tried to hurt him previously, but Harris never reported those incidents to police and could not provide dates and locations of the incidents.

One of the detectives on the case, Jason Russell, described Harris' claims about Rieger-Williams as unfounded as Russell testified on Thursday.

Russell said Harris admitted he was the shooter after he was shown video of the killing. Maskrey, the prosecutor, asked Russell if Harris said why he shot Rieger-Williams.

"He indicated people had been after him," Russell said. "He needed to protect himself."

Russell quoted Harris saying of Rieger-Williams, "Dude was about to kill me."

The interview took place on May 17. A day earlier, at about 7:50 p.m., Harris shot Rieger-Williams once inside the Quick Stop, at 408 W. 18th St., according to the video. Moments before Rieger-Williams was shot, Harris is seen in an aisle of the crowded store, looking out a window.

A silver SUV arrives in the parking lot. Rieger-Williams gets out.

Rieger-Williams walks through the front door of the Quick Stop. Harris shoots Rieger-Williams once in the chest at close range range, killing him, according to the video. Harris runs out the front door.

Police used the video surveillance and other information to identify and find Harris, according to the testimony of Russell, the only witness at Thursday's hearing. Russell testified that Harris waived his rights prior to the police interview and did not request a lawyer.

Mental health issues barred defendant from having gun

Harris was not allowed to carry a gun, Russell testified.

He referred to documents that showed Harris once had a gun permit, but had his license revoked in December 2019 "following an involuntary mental health assessment" — known as "a 302," after the section of the Pennsylvania Mental Health Procedures Act that allows for the involuntary commitment of a person due to mental health problems. A person who has been involuntarily committed in Pennsylvania is prohibited from carrying a firearm.

Maskrey, the prosecutor, said after Thursday's hearing that he did not know where Harris got the gun, which police recovered in the trunk of a car after the shooting. Harris told police where to find the gun, according to testimony.

Maskrey did not offer details about Harris' mental health issues at the hearing. Harris' court-appointed lawyer, Brian Arrowsmith, declined to comment. The defense could raise concerns about Harris' mental health leading up to a trial.

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What does not appear to be an issue, at this point, is whether Harris was the person who killed Rieger-Williams. As in the October 2020 fatal shooting at the Quick Stop, the killing was caught on video. And Harris, like the defendant Kyontia Blanks did in the October 2020 slaying, said he fired the fatal shot.

During his police interview, Harris expressed that "there was no honor in what he had done," Detective Russell testified on Thursday. "He expressed remorse for what he had done."

Russell testified that Harris, when confronted with the video and other evidence, said, "You all got me."

Contact Ed Palattella at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @ETNpalattella.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Quick Stop slaying defendant told police 'Dude was about to kill me'