New York City Sheriff John Reilly sentenced after shooting a DoorDash driver who stopped to ask for directions

A New York City officer has been sentenced after shooting a missing DoorDash driver who had come to his home to ask for directions.

City of Chester Highway Superintendent John Reilly, 49, was ordered Monday to serve 17 years in prison and must complete five years of supervised release after being released under the terms of his sentence for a shooting incident last May.

“The lengthy sentence given to the defendant appropriately reflects his disregard for human life,” Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler said in a statement. “The suspect is forced to live with life-changing injuries as a result of the defendant’s violent criminal actions.

“It’s yet another example of the consequences of the use of dangerous firearms by someone who had no business owning a gun.” I hope that the victim and his family can continue to know that the efforts of the police and prosecutors who were assigned to the case have reached a certain level of justice.”

Reilly was convicted of assault and criminal possession of a weapon after shooting African American immigrant Alpha Barry and his Toyota Corolla on the night of May 2, 2025.

Barry, 24, arrived at Reilly’s in Chester with a bag of food when he forgot the address of the house he was assigned to take when his phone battery died.

But, the situation escalated when Reilly got his .45 pistol and yelled “Go” before firing repeatedly into Barry’s car.

Another shot pierced the car and hit Barry in the back, leaving him with “serious injuries,” according to officials.

Barry, who had just moved to the US in October 2024, left the scene before collapsing at home.

He had to undergo emergency surgery, and two feet of his small intestine was removed after the .45 caliber bullet missed his body.

“For half a year, my life was controlled by a colostomy bag,” Barry wrote in a statement read by Chief District Attorney Nicholas Mangold at the start of the sentencing, according to WAMC.

This was not only a medical necessity, but a constant source of physical pain and deep emotional distress.

“The simple daily act of using the toilet became a source of anxiety and trauma. I lived in fear and discomfort, not knowing when the next moment of pain or embarrassment would occur. This experience cut me off from the world.”

The incident was caught on Reilly’s doorbell camera – and his wife Selina Nelson-Reilly admitted to illegally deleting more than 12 videos of the crime, the Times-Union reported.

He made a plea deal that put him on probation for a year, and he was forced to do 200 hours of community service.

During his trial, Reilly’s team tried to argue that he opened fire in self-defense because Barry brought food from a restaurant to order from.

Jurors didn’t buy the plea as he was convicted of multiple assaults – and prosecutors wanted a 24-year sentence.

Hoovler said the 17-year sentence “reflected” the nature of Reilly’s crimes – while Barry’s lawyer, Rudyard Whyte, said “we accept the decision, we are not happy about it, but we accept it because of the gravity of the situation.”

Reilly was initially charged with attempted murder, but jurors did not consider that charge after the jury’s instructions.

He was elected in 2021 and has not said anything about stepping down.

Brandon Holdridge, Chester’s manager, has called for Reilly to step down, telling News12 he is “a huge distraction.”

Reilly must resign after being convicted, according to state law, but his attorney, Thomas Kenniff, said he will appeal his appeal.