Video shows the moment Kerdel Young got out of his car and opened fire on the driver of the car behind him.

An Albany County jury saw the video of the shooting. Young’s attorney argued that he was defending himself after threats and intimidation by a violent gang. Authorities say the problems began when his children’s mother started dating the head of the gang.

The 39-year-old was convicted of murdering Anthony Dias of Watervliet in Albany last year.

Young had been a law-abiding citizen. He had a pistol permit for his gun.

Reports show he had contacted police for help repeatedly in the past, including after he got a threatening phone call saying, “stay off the block or you’re going to get killed.” He had asked for a police presence while he packed up to leave town.

He reported two suspicious cars parking outside of his house on 3rd Street, and a man possibly waiting for him in a car outside of family court.

He called police when men came to his home and told his mother that they were going to kill him.

Just before the shooting in Albany on February 9, 2023, you can see Young’s white car drive through the parking lot. Just as he’s out, Dias in the black car comes in driving fast, following. Both cars pull over at the corner.

Both drivers open their doors and Young gets out of the white car and fires as he walks swiftly to the other car.

The prosecution said this was nothing short of an execution in broad daylight.

911 call: Dispatcher: “911 what’s the address of your emergency?”
Caller: You’ve got to send the ambulance and you’ve got to send the fire truck, you’ve got to send everything because somebody just pulled up on somebody and shoot them on Sherman, right by the boxing gym.”
Dispatcher: “We have the call, we’re sending help over there.”
Caller: “They emptied a whole clip in the car.”

Photos show the bullet holes in the car.

The defense said Young thought his life was in danger.

Attorney Arthur Frost with law firm Frost & Kavanaugh was not involved in this case. He says legally, there is a duty to retreat. A person can use deadly physical force if they believe their life is in danger.

“But once it is justified, you can use it if you don’t have the ability to retreat,” he said. “If you can retreat, you have to. The problem I see for this young man is that he didn’t stop at the first shot.”

“This is really no difference than Bernie Goetz down in the subway in Manhattan in the 80s. He shot these young men and then when one of them was on the ground, he went over and shot him again. It’s really no different than that.”

“You can’t finish the person off. You can’t follow up and take a second shot. You can only do it if you can’t retreat and if it’s still justified, if you’re still in danger.”

Young was sentenced to 16 years to life in prison.

“If you’re running and someone’s chasing you and they have a sword and they’re two feet behind you, can you turn around and use force? Of course you can,” said Frost. “It’s only if you can retreat with complete safety. Not partially, and you don’t have to be right. You just have to be reasonable. You have to reasonably believe I can’t get away without this person hurting me.”