Dontae Dickerson Obituary, Death; – Authorities apprehended an individual suspected of fatally shooting a father at a convenience store in Chester, Pennsylvania, in July. Haneef Melton, a 19-year-old resident of Chester, has been charged with the murder of 27-year-old Dontae Dickerson.
On July 2, 2024, at approximately 11:15 a.m., law enforcement responded to a report of a shooting at the Lucky 7 convenience store located at 1100 Morton Avenue in Chester City. Upon arrival, they discovered Dickerson lying on the floor of the establishment, suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. Dickerson was subsequently pronounced dead, and his death was classified as a homicide.
Investigators obtained surveillance footage from the store, which depicted a man entering at around 11:05 a.m. and making a purchase. The footage later shows this individual approaching Dickerson, who was waiting in line, drawing a firearm, and shooting him in the back of the head, according to police reports. The assailant then exited the store and fled south on Elsinore Place, as per the investigators’ findings.
Subsequent investigations led to the identification of Melton as the shooter. He was arrested and charged on Wednesday, August 28, with criminal homicide, first and third-degree murder, carrying firearms without a license, and possession of a weapon. Melton’s bail has been denied, and he is currently held at Delaware County Prison. A preliminary hearing is set for October 7, 2024, according to court documents.
Online court records do not indicate an attorney representing Melton. While he remains in custody, investigators have not disclosed any potential motive for the shooting. Dickerson was a father to a 7-year-old girl. His mother, Mickette Cephas, shared with NBC10 that he was simply making a routine visit to the store at the time of the incident.
