Prior felon arrested on gun charge after attempting to flee from police

BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced that David Williams, 36, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with being a felon in possession of a firearm, which carries a 15-year maximum term of imprisonment.

According to the criminal complaint, on October 11, 2026, Buffalo Police officers responded to Geneva and Curtiss Streets to a report of shots fired. Numerous shotgun and 9mm shells were recovered as evidence. The following day, on October 12, 2026, detectives interviewed two victims regarding the incident the previous day. The victims stated that they were sitting in their vehicle in front of a Geneva Street residence when they observed a black vehicle driving toward them going the wrong way on the street. A few moments later, a black male approached their vehicle, tapped on the window and pointed a firearm at one of the victims. The victims drove off until they were far enough away to pull over and call police. One of the victims said the black male started shooting at their car when they pulled away, leaving numerous bullet holes in the vehicle.

At the time of the incident, David Williams was under the supervision of the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision and was wearing an ankle monitor, which allowed investigators to determine his location at the time. On October 14, 2026, Buffalo Police detectives attempted to take Williams into custody following a vehicle stop at Bailey Avenue and East Ferry Street, but Williams pulled away and attempted to flee. He was eventually taken into custody but continued to resist arrest while officers were placing him in handcuffs. During the arrest, officers recovered a loaded firearm from Williams as well as a bag of suspected narcotics. Williams has three prior felony convictions and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.

Williams made initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was detained.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua A. Violanti, Louis Testanti and Katerina Powers. The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Allen D. Davis, II, the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Erika Shields, and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, under the direction of Daniel F. Martuscello, III.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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