Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Jr., today announced the sentencing of TOMAS DUNN, 24, to 18 years in state prison for fatally shooting 41-year-old Saladeen Cochrane, his mom’s ex-partner, in Harlem in September 2022. On June 5, 2024, DUNN pleaded guilty in a New York State Supreme Court to one count of Manslaughter in the First Degree.
“Tomas Dunn has been held accountable for killing Saladeen Cochrane, a warm and loving person, in a heinous and senseless act of gun violence on a Manhattan sidewalk,” said District Attorney Bragg. “To Mr. Cochrane’s loved ones, he represented a beloved family man, including a caring husband and father, and my thoughts remain with his heartbroken family as they continue to mourn their devastating loss. I hope the sentence imposed today can bring them a sense of peace and justice.”
According to court documents and statements made on the record in court, and as admitted in the defendant’s guilty plea, on September 30, 2022, at approximately 10:00 p.m., Mr. Cochrane was walking with another individual near Lenox Avenue and West 145th Street, on his way to his own mom’s apartment. Noticing Mr. Cochrane, who had previously dated DUNN’s mother years earlier, DUNN approached him and initiated a physical altercation.
Following the altercation, DUNN walked off and met with two friends, one of whom was wearing a thick vest, near West 145th Street and 7th Avenue. DUNN took the vest off his friend, put it on himself for protection and circled the block to find Mr. Cochrane in order to ambush him.
Detecting Mr. Cochrane, DUNN stopped directly in front of him, shouted and pulled out a gun, shooting at least eight times. As Mr. Cochrane and the individual attempted to run away, Mr. Cochrane was shot once in the back of the head, causing him to fall to the ground. The other individual was able to get away. Mr. Cochrane was transported to the hospital, but never regained consciousness.
After the shooting, DUNN ran to his mother’s apartment building near West 140th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue, still wearing the vest. A warrant was issued for his arrest and the NYPD executed a search warrant at DUNN’s mother’s apartment where they recovered the vest. DUNN eventually surrendered to police and was arrested on October 16, 2022.
Assistant D.A. Matthew Bogdanos (Senior Trial Counsel) and Nicole Drosinos (Chief Trial Division Analyst) handled the prosecution of the case, under the supervision of Assistant D.A. Jessica Lynn (Chief of Trial Bureau 50) and Executive Assistant D.A. Lisa DelPizzo (Chief of the Trial Division). Trial Preparation Assistant Philip Marks (Trial Bureau 50) also provided valuable assistance in this case.
D.A. Bragg thanked Detective Carlos Thomas of the 32nd Precinct Detective Squad.
Defendant Information:
TOMAS DUNN
New York, NY
Convicted:
- Manslaughter in the First Degree, a class B felony, one count
Sentenced:
- 18 years in state prison
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