A baby shower at the North Amityville firehouse that ended in gunfire has now led to a decades-long prison term. Michael Lyles, 37, of Central Islip, was sentenced Wednesday to 24 years to life in state prison after prosecutors said he opened fire outside the event last year. Lyles had been convicted by a jury in November, and while the shooting damaged a parked SUV, no one at the party was injured.
Jurors found Lyles guilty in November 2025 of two counts of criminal possession of a weapon after evidence showed he fired 10 rounds as the baby shower was wrapping up, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Investigators recovered ten 9 mm shell casings at the scene and found a gray Toyota Highlander riddled with bullet holes.
The judge imposed the 24-years-to-life term in Suffolk County court, as reported by News 12 Bronx. Local coverage noted that, despite the hail of gunfire, no one was physically hurt. The sentence capped a multi-day jury trial that concluded late last year.
How Prosecutors Say It Unfolded
At trial, prosecutors said surveillance video showed Lyles sprinting back to the vehicle he arrived in, opening the passenger-side doors and pulling out a handgun before firing toward another guest. Several rounds hit the parked SUV. Detectives later recovered 10 nine-millimeter shell casings, and video also appeared to show Lyles handing the gun to another person who fled, according to Patch.
Record and Reaction
The district attorney’s office said Lyles had a prior 2018 conviction for possessing a loaded firearm and was on parole at the time of the January 2024 shooting. Prosecutors argued that history made the incident especially alarming, given that this was a community celebration. In a statement, DA Raymond Tierney stressed that a repeat felon who brings a gun to a neighborhood gathering will be held accountable, according to the DA’s release.
Legal Note
Because prosecutors described Lyles as a prior violent-felony offender, he was eligible for enhanced penalties under New York’s persistent violent felony offender law. That statute allows indeterminate sentences with a maximum of life and minimum terms that can stretch for decades. Prosecutors had previously said Lyles faced up to 25 years to life at sentencing, as noted in earlier reporting on the conviction.
What’s Next
The sentence brings the trial phase of the case to a close for now. Lyles will remain in state custody while any appeals or post-trial motions are pursued. Future court developments are expected to be tracked through local coverage and updates from the district attorney’s office, according to News 12 Bronx.
