A licensed gun owner who fatally shot a young man in a Brooklyn park in the dead of night claims he was acting in self defense after the 23-year-old victim tried to rob him at knife point, police sources said Tuesday.
The shooter told detectives he was walking through Carroll Park on President St. near Smith St. in Carroll Gardens around 2:45 a.m. Saturday when Jordan Dillard put him in a chokehold, and with a knife to his neck, demanded he hand over cash, law enforcement sources told the Daily News.
The two men fought until the would-be robbery victim, who has a concealed carry permit, whipped out a registered gun and shot the assailant in the torso. A knife was recovered at the scene; there’s no indication Dillard and the gunman knew each other, according to the sources.
The Brooklyn District Attorney’s office is still investigating, but it is not believed the gunman will be charged in Dillard’s death, The News has learned.
But on Tuesday night, Dillard’s sister pushed back at the details of the deadly confrontation, saying she believes her brother was “set up” and that a text message circulating among his friends proves he was lured into the park.
“That don’t seem right, that’s not my brother, and I know my brother,” said Dillard’s grief-stricken sister, Brandy Dillard. “The person who is telling them this is saying whatever they have to say to try to go home.”
Dillard had no prior arrests or contact with the NYPD, according to police.
Before his death, Dillard had planned to attend the funeral of his cousin, Shamel Miller, who was gunned down just before the Carroll Park shooting in the lobby of an apartment complex on Neptune Ave. near W. 33rd St. in Coney Island.
“It’s a lot for us right now.” said Brandy Dillard, 26. “This is not him and I know this is not him. My brother never went to that park.”
Witnesses told police they heard an argument shortly before Jordan was shot. One local resident described hearing a man scream, “You’re done! You’re done!” followed by rapid gunfire.
By the time police arrived, Jordan was on the ground with a gunshot wound to the torso. He was rushed to New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, where he died.
“We’re going from a funeral to another funeral,” said Brandy Dillard. “This is two deaths in the family and this year just started.”
A building worker arriving for an early-morning shift discovered Miller shot multiple times all over his body around 7:15 a.m. Jan. 5, according to another employee.
Building workers dialed 911 and medics rushed Miller to NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn, where he died. No arrests have been made in the slaying.
“Just know that he was a good man, well respected and everybody knew him around Coney Island,” Miller’s son told The News.
Last year, Jordan’s mother suffered a near-fatal stroke.
“My mom is fighting for her life and now she got to deal with her son not being here,” Brandy Dillard said. “He was there all the time. He was there. And he’s gone.”
The heartbroken sister remembered her brother as a kind-hearted and family-oriented man working to better his life.
“He was the type to do anything for his family,” she said. “He wasn’t no gangbanger. He was always in the house, playing games, going out with his friends. He was trying to make a change.”
“He didn’t want to be around all this,” she added. “Losing friends after friends.”
Dillard had recently taken a job with the Red Hook Initiative, a program designed to help at-risk youth, but was let go due to attendance issues, according to his sister.
“He was trying to change his life,” she said. “Like, this is not him. He just wanted something better for himself.”
As the family prepares for the funerals, Dillard’s sister holds on to the memories of her brother, who enjoyed music, walks with his girlfriend and always found time to check in on his family.
“He did not deserve this,” said Brandy Dillard. “Nobody deserves that. Not nobody’s son, daughter, any family member deserved that. My brother never been no killer, never.”
There have been 12 murders citywide this year through Sunday, the same number as this time last year, NYPD stats show.
With Nicholas Williams and Rocco Parascandola