Douglas Robinson : Man charged for shooting Williamsport woman in 2021 | News, Sports, Jobs

Douglas Robinson is escorted from the Lycoming County Courthouse following a preliminary hearing on charges related to the October 2021 shooting of a city woman in the 600 block of Maple Street.

Almost three years after a 25-year-old mother of two was hit by a stray bullet in the second-floor bedroom of her home on Maple Street, the alleged perpetrator has been identified.

Douglas Robinson, from Williamsport, will face trial for the shooting that occurred on Oct 12, 2021, at around 8:30 p.m., as ruled by U.S. District Judge Aaron Biichle following a preliminary hearing on Friday morning.

In line with recent serious cases handled by the Lycoming County District Attorney’s Office, the specific charges Robinson will face are currently under seal, except for one count of criminal attempted murder, which was discussed in open court.

The victim, who sustained a gunshot wound to the upper right side of her head, underwent emergency surgery at UPMC Williamsport, where surgeons had to extract bone and bullet fragments from her brain.

Her injuries necessitated the use of a helmet for a period, and she continues to experience memory loss, as testified by City Constable Brittaney Alexander during the court proceedings.

The victim’s two children were thankfully unharmed during the shooting.

A witness called by prosecutor Tom Marino recounted that he and Robinson, both minors at the time, spent the day of the shooting together, playing basketball at the YMCA before visiting a local dollar store.

Shortly after leaving the store, Robinson mentioned to the witness, who was driving his white Jeep Grand Cherokee, that he had forgotten his wallet. They turned around towards Robinson’s house.

Upon reaching the corner of Banister Place and Memorial Avenue, they spotted three individuals, one of whom gestured a shooting motion towards their vehicle, as per the witness.

“I have something for them,” Robinson reportedly said before retrieving a gun from his backpack and firing three shots through the passenger side window.

The witness claimed that gunfire was returned, although this assertion was later challenged by Alexander, who stated there was no evidence of multiple shooters.

The witness revealed that they did not discuss the incident until they learned about the victim’s case through social media posts.

Robinson was reticent to talk about it, simply stating, “Everything will be fine. Everything is fine. We are good,” according to the witness’s testimony.

Under cross-examination by defence attorney Jeana Longo, the witness mentioned being shot at another time while driving his fiancée’s rental car but couldn’t recall if it was before or after the October shooting.

Two bullet holes were visible in an upstairs window of the victim’s residence, and a bullet was recovered from that area, Alexander testified. A .40-calibre shell casing matching the bullet was also found near the scene on Memorial Avenue.

Additional bullets were discovered in vehicles along Memorial Avenue by investigators the following day, although all were slugs, making them unsuitable for forensic analysis.

Surveillance footage from a nearby community centre captured a vehicle resembling the witness’s, identifiable by its distinctive rims, around the time of the shooting, according to Alexander.

Following several Crime Watch tips, Alexander stopped the witness’s vehicle on November 23, 2021. Robinson was also present in the vehicle and insisted on retrieving his backpack from the Jeep after Alexander took possession of the vehicle through a search warrant.

During the incident, Robinson attempted to open the passenger side door, prompting Alexander to slam it shut to prevent him from accessing any items.

A .40-calibre Blackhawk handgun was discovered in the front passenger side of the Jeep beneath a backpack belonging to Robinson, as testified by Alexander. The firearm contained one round in the chamber and 14 rounds in the clip, with an additional 15-round clip also present.

While at the scene, the police received a call from a man named Lester James, who claimed to have a handgun in the vehicle and requested to retrieve it, a request that was denied by Alexander.

Laboratory tests conducted by state police and the Firearms and Tobacco Agency confirmed a match between the bullet found at the victim’s residence and Robinson’s DNA as a “potential contributor” on the gun, according to Alexander.

Withholding her argument on all other charges, Longo urged Biichle to dismiss the charge of attempted first-degree murder, arguing that while Robinson acted recklessly, he did not intend to kill a specific individual. She cited witness testimony indicating that Robinson simply pointed the gun at the window and fired.

The return fire from elsewhere raised doubts about the origin of the bullet that struck the victim at such a high level, Longo contended.

She also referenced testimony where Robinson allegedly said, “I hope he makes it,” which could negate any intention he may have had to kill the victim.

The source of this statement remained ambiguous, as the witness previously claimed to have expressed the sentiment himself.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Sweeley argued that intent pertains to a specific crime and not necessarily the affected victim. She maintained that Robinson’s actions in firing a gun at someone were sufficient for the charge to stand, suggesting that the act implies intent to kill even if another individual is impacted.

Longo reiterated the witness’s testimony that the shots were fired randomly without Robinson aiming, characterising it as a reckless act ineligible for victim transfer.

Biichle dismissed the case.

No court date has been scheduled for the proceedings.

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