Dorchester man faces murder charge for role in confrontation that led to Dawnn Jaffier's death last summer

A man authorities say was the intended target of a gunman who wound up killing an innocent woman waiting for a parade on Blue Hill Avenue was indicted yesterday for his part in her fatal shooting, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office reports.

A Suffolk County grand jury indicted Wesson Colas, 22, of Dorchester, on charges of first-degree murder and armed assault with intent to murder for Dawnn Jaffier's murder before the J'Ouvert parade on Aug. 23 - and the wounding of a second woman further down the street.

According to the DA's office, Jaffier's actual killer, Keith Williams, hit her while firing at Colas after Colas allegedly pulled out a gun and aimed it at Williams and his pals. According to DA Dan Conley, Colas shares in the blame for Jaffier's death for his initial actions in aiming a gun at somebody who was also armed:

The death of an innocent victim is a predictable outcome when you pull a gun on armed rivals in the middle of a crowded street. Dawnn Jaffier was that innocent victim, and we intend to hold the people responsible for her death accountable in a Suffolk County courtroom.

According to the DA's office, the Supreme Judicial Court ruled in 1997 that

Where the defendant chooses to engage in a gun battle with another with the intent to kill or do grievous bodily harm and a third party is killed, the defendant may be held liable for the homicide even if it was the defendant's opponent who fired the fatal shot.

In 2009, Suffolk prosecutors used the theory to win a first-degree murder sentence against Manuel Andrade for his role in the death of Chiara Levin.

Also yesterday, the grand jury indicted Jordan Reed, 22, of Randolph, as an accessory after the fact to Jaffier’s murder. Reed is accused of acting with Williams to hide the .357 caliber revolver used in the shootings.