BENNINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Two people who police say killed a man in Rutland pleaded not guilty Monday. Court documents indicate the victim was not the intended target of the shooting.

Video from Friday night shows the moment 32-year-old Christopher Hale was shot on a porch on Elm Street in Rutland. In the distance, you can see what appears to be the alleged shooter running away.

Dylin Wainscott, 28, of Westfield, Mass., is charged with first-degree murder. Precious Okorie, 31, of Springfield, is charged with aiding and abetting the fatal shooting. Both men have pleaded not guilty and are being held behind bars.

Court papers say the two men planned to shoot someone, but not Hale.

Rutland County State’s Attorney Ian Sullivan: Okorie and Wainscott may have been after someone other than Mr. Hale.

Reporter Ike Bendavid: So the victim wasn’t the target?

Ian Sullivan: With the information we have now, that seems to be the case.

Court documents reveal that about a week before the murder, Wainscott had problems with a suspected drug dealer in Rutland, which police say led to an unreported shooting and drug robbery at 19 Elm Street, the location the Friday night shooting.

The fatal shooting is a product of the earlier incident, according to police. Wainscott, under Okorie’s orders, is said to have shot the first person he saw who looked like his alleged rival.

“The information in the affidavit points to a different person,” Sullivan said.

The police were informed when someone closely related to the suspects contacted them. Police located and arrested the two men in a nearby parking lot.

We still don’t know why Hale was at the house at the time of the shooting.

Sullivan says drug and gun crimes are becoming too common in Rutland. He hopes lawmakers take additional steps in the upcoming session to improve services for drug users and pass stricter gun laws.

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