- "There is no sin. No virtue. It's just shit people do. They trained us to kill people and risk our lives doing it. Then one day, you get a call saying they're done with you. "Thank you for your service. Here's a plaque." You need a job? Good luck. You need medical insurance? See the VA. See, one day, you're an asset. The next, you're a fucking afterthought. It was a natural evolution. It's who we were. It's what we did. It's what you did. Now it's what we do."
- —Dave York in The Equalizer 2
David “Dave” York (April 2, 1975 — 2018) was a former CIA operative turned freelance assassin and Robert McCall's former friend and partner. After becoming a freelance assassin, he was involved in a murder conspiracy against DIA agent Susan Plummer, which set him into conflict with Robert and ultimately cost him his life.
Biography[]
Military Service[]
- "What happened, Dave?"
- "You died. That's what happened. Three months after you disappeared... government shut us down. I went private right after. Doing the same things you and I did for God and country... killing names on a piece of paper. Only now... now there's a price next to them."
- "We killed the enemy."
- "Who said they were the enemy? Not us. Not me. We just followed orders. Mac, there are no good and bad people anymore. No. No enemies. Just... unfortunates."
- —Robert McCall and Dave York
Dave York once served in the U.S. military. At some point, either while still in the military or shortly after his discharge. Dave was recruited into the DIA, and became part of covert black ops team which consisted of Resnik, Ari, and Kovac. Dave also met former U.S. Marine Robert McCall, who became his team leader and mentor. He also befriended fellow DIA agent Susan Plummer. For seven years, Dave and Robert worked together on many covert operations for the DIA. According to Dave himself, most of these operations involved assassinations.
Despite Dave and Robert's close friendship, Robert who became disillusioned with the DIA and wished to be with his wife, decided to fake his own death. While on a mission in a foreign country, Dave witnessed what he believed was Robert being killed in a car bombing. Three months after Robert's alleged death. Dave's black ops team was shutdown by the government. Despite this, Dave continued working as an agent for the DIA and worked closely with Susan.
Unbeknownst to Susan and the DIA. Dave secretly went rogue, as he felt disillusioned by the government's decision to shut down his black-ops team. He and his former teammates decided to go to the private sector and utilized their skills to become assassins and hitmen for hire. It was around this time Dave married, and had two children.
Reunion with McCall[]
After a seemingly random murder occurs in Brussels, Susan meets up with York, now a CIA operative and her partner. During the investigation, Susan was stalked and attacked by two thugs before she was murdered.
Sometime after Susan's funeral, the two thugs who attacked Susan were blown up by a bomb in their room. McCall meets with Dave, and he tells him that the thugs' death was meant to tie up loose ends, and that Susan's death was also linked to the murders. Later, an assassin posing as a passenger attempts to kill McCall while he was working for Lyft, but McCall kills the man and discovers information on his phone.
Robert McCall killing Dave York
This leads him to Dave's house, and he deduces that Dave was the one responsible for killing Susan. He reveals that ever since McCall faked his death, he and some other operatives were discharged from the DIA and became killers-for-hire. York knew that McCall had to be alive, so he tracks him out to have kim killed for making him lose his job. Outside Dave's house, McCall encounters Dave's men, and vows to kill them all before driving off with Dave's wife and daughters. Dave and one of his men break into McCall's apartment and kidnap Miles, an artistic teen and friend of McCall, and drive to confront McCall at the latter's old seatown home, which is being ravaged by Hurricane Frances. McCall dispatches all of his former teammates and saves Miles before dealing with Dave, who was hiding on the top of a watchtower.
After a brutal fistfight, McCall killed Dave by gouging out his eye and stabbing him in the throat (from the back of his neck) before throwing him off the tower to his death. His corpse was then washed away by the ocean current.
Abilities[]
- Expert Marksman: Dave is highly skilled with firearms and has exceptional accuracy.
- "Remember what you taught me. Always have a contingency plan."
- —Dave York to Robert McCall
- Expert Tactician: He can devise strategic plans and adapt to various situations.
Equipment[]
Weapons[]
- Beretta M9A1: York's sidearm was a suppressed pistol.
- Daniel Defense MK12:
- "Autopsy report. Stab wound. Two millimeters. The lower third rib."
- "Close-quarter technique."
- "Exactly. That was taught. This was no robbery. Something else went on in that room."
- —Robert McCall and Dave York
- Knife: York used a knife to kill Susan Plummer by stabbing her in her lower third rib. He attempted to kill McCall with a knife during their final duel, but he was disarmed.
Note[]
In the film, Dave’s character embodies the complexities of a former operative navigating a world of violence and betrayal. His skills and past connections make him a formidable adversary for Robert McCall
