The trial of a Niagara Falls man accused of shooting a woman and her young grandson to death back in July 2018 resumed Thursday.

Kenyatta Austin, 26, stands accused of shooting 54-year-old Yvette Johnson and her 16-month-old grandson Kyrie Johnson.

The incident happened in the early morning of July 2, 2018 outside the family's Grape Street home, where he's also accused of wounding two others, including Yvette's son and Kyrie's dad, as well as her brother.

The case will only be tried before a judge, and not a jury, given its emotional nature.

"Nobody disputes that and it's difficult to get around that emotional aspect of the case,” said James Auricchio, defense attorney.

Prosecutors delivered their opening statement outlining the events leading up to and after the shooting.

They say what started as a birthday celebration for Yvette turned to devastation after the family returned to her home from MLK Park.

Prosecutors say soon after Kyrie arrived with his mother, gunfire from multiple weapons rang out from behind the house, suggesting Austin didn't work alone.

"It'll be interesting to see how they attempt to prove it. There's a lot of witnesses but not of all of them saw a whole lot. And they still have to connect our client to the crimes,” said Robert Goldstein, defense attorney.

Defense leaders did not respond to the judge with their openings, as they say some of the evidence in the case was just turned over to them within the last week. 

"Before we really wanted to tell the court what we thought we'd be able to prove or not prove during the course of the trial, we wanted to have a full opportunity to review that evidence,” said Goldstein.

Part of that evidence includes an eight and a half hour video tape of another key witness who allegedly drove to the house that night and told detectives he knew what they were going there for.

Attorneys also say a retired Buffalo police detective, related to the witness, talked to him during the video.

"He could be the person that's responsible for this and could be pinning our client with his own acts, so that's the significance of that,” said Auricchio.

Despite the defense not presenting its opening, prosecutors still called their first witness to the stand, Yvette's brother Darren Works, who was shot in the leg.

He echoed the events leading up to the death of his sister, and says he was holding Kyrie at the time the young boy was struck in the head.

Defense leaders then asked exactly where he was standing at the time, in relation to what he heard and saw that time of the night.

Testimony resumes on Monday, after the defense delivers its opening statement.

The trial could last up to two weeks.