Cheektowaga man charged with murder following parking dispute
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A Cheektowaga man was arraigned on an indictment charging him with second-degree murder Thursday after he allegedly shot and killed a man during a parking dispute, according to the Erie County District Attorney’s Office.
Md Rawnaq Hassan Ratin, 20, was shot in the chest after he allegedly got into an argument with Richard Walls, 44, on the 100 block of Cedar Road, officials said.
Ratin had parked on the street in front of an empty parking lot to meet up with friends on Oct. 12, 2024. His family said the alleged argument between him and Walls, who lived in the neighborhood, turned violent before he was shot.
Walls allegedly called 911 to identify himself as the shooter and waited for police to arrive. Police responded to the scene around 5 p.m. Ratin was taken to ECMC where he was pronounced deceased.
Erie County District Attorney Michael Keane said there is no evidence that this was a hate crime.
“This was nothing other than a horrific, senseless killing,” he said.
Ratin’s family said Ratin was a nice person, a good friend, and that his death was sad news for the community.
A self-defense claim by Walls was rejected, according to Keane. Walls was held without bail and faces a maximum of 25 years to life in prison if convicted. A return court date has yet to be scheduled.
Latest Local News
Allegany County man sentenced for killing his parents in 2019
Remarkable Women: Cradle Beach CEO Ann-Marie Orlowski leads local camp with empathy
WNY native who worked on ‘Anora’ shares journey behind the lens
Road closures in Buffalo for St. Patrick’s Day parades
Sister Sledge on family, legacy, new music, ‘Sledgendary’ Fallsview show
Kayleigh Hunter-Gasperini joined the News 4 team in 2024 as a Digital Video Producer. She is a graduate of Chatham University.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo.