Graduation party shooter sentenced to 20 to 60 years in prison

MANCHESTER, NH – Emmanuel Sayle, one of two men who opened fire on people attending a 2023 graduation party, wounding four, was sentenced Thursday to 20-to-60-years in the New Hampshire State Prison.

Sayle, 23, of Manchester pleaded guilty in Hillsborough County Superior Court Northern District to four counts of first-degree assault and one count of reckless conduct.  He also entered a guilty plea to an unrelated charge of assault by a prisoner on June 25, 2023 that took place at the Valley Street Jail where he has been detained.

Assistant Hillsborough County Attorney Patrick Ives said the shooting was “outrageously unprovoked” and without precedent. And, he said, Sayle committed the shooting as a member of a criminal street gang and for the gang’s benefit.

Four people were wounded including two women and two men, all in their 20s. One was struck by a bullet that went through the left thigh and into the right thigh; another was shot in the lower left leg, shattering the tibia; a third suffered a shot to the inner thigh and a separated shoulder; and the fourth victim was shot in the chest.  All recovered from their injuries.

None attended the sentencing although Ives told Judge Amy Messer that all of them were in favor of the recommended sentence that was fully negotiated.

The judge asked if those injured knew Sayle.  Ives said at least one of the victims was known by two of the defendants or his associates.  “At least one did not have a reason to have a disagreement and one was an innocent bystander,” the prosecutor said.

Ives did not identify the street gang.  However, at a 2021 court hearing, Sayle was identified as a member of the Nine Trey Gangster Bloods or Nine Trey Gagsta Bloods (NTG).

The hearing was in the case of Tariq Alston, who was charged with reckless conduct in connection with an April 7, 2021 shooting outside Seven Days Market, 360 Union St. where three people were shot.

Alston had been released on bail and a prosecutor wanted his bail revoked after he was seen at Shooters Outpost, handling firearms and in the company of Sayle and Milton Nabors, both identified as NTG members.  NTG is a violent gang tied to the United Blood Nation street gang connected to the LA Bloods.  It was formed 30 years ago at the Rikers Island correctional facility in New York City.

Ives detailed what the state would have proved had the case gone to trial.  The shooting took place late in the afternoon of May 13, 2023 outside 129 Ahern St. in Elmwood Gardens.

About 35 people, including children, were attending the graduation party, with many of them outside the residence.  Prior to the shooting, Ives said some of the partygoers had words with four people in an SUV that drove by.  Sayle was one of the four people inside in the SUV.

After the argument, the  SUV drove behind the block where the party was happening and parked by a dumpster near another apartment building.

Sayle and a second man, who Ives identified as Kekoa Bissonnette, 21, of Southbridge, Mass., exited the car.  The two men circled round and took up a position across a narrow street from where the party was taking place and opened fire on the party goers, wounding four people.

After opening fire and emptying the rounds – Sayle and Bissonette went back to the SUV and drove away.  Two other men were indicted in connection with the incident. Griffin O’Neil, 21, of 727 Mast Road, who Ives said was the driver, and Trenton Liggins, 22, of 194 Auburn St.

The prisoner assault charge accused Sayle of assaulting J.A. on June 25, 2023, when both were detained in the Valley Street jail.  J.A. apparently wanted to sit down at a table with Sayle and Sayle pushed him.  The two were separated but later, after being returned to their cells, Sayle was accused of repeatedly striking him.

The accumulative sentence includes consecutive, suspended and concurrent sentences involving all of the charges.  He was sentenced to 3 ½ to 7 years on the reckless conduct charge, which was concurrent to the second, first-degree assault charge, and 3 to 6 years on the assault charge, which is concurrent with the reckless conduct charge.

He also cannot petition for a reduction of his sentence based on good behavior, although the sentence could be reduced if he earns his high school diploma (Sayles only attended school until his junior year of high school), associate’s degree or achieves other educational goals, including trade school.

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