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SCHENECTADY
Shots echo through neighborhoods, rattle nerves

BY STEVEN COOK Gazette Reporter
Reach Gazette reporter Steven Cook at 395-3122 or scook@dailygazette.net.

    A dozen times this month, gunshots have been reported somewhere in the city, police said Friday.
    While officials said that is about on par for Schenectady, they are still stepping up efforts to combat it. Exact numbers for previous months weren’t immediately available.
    “We are deploying Operation Impact officers to address the areas where the crimes have been committed,” department spokesman Sgt. Eric Clifford said Friday. “Our Office of Field Intelligence is actively investigating all of the incidents.”
    City police are also continuing to use state troopers for patrols, though to a somewhat lesser degree. They were originally on seven nights a week, now they’re on five nights, Clifford said. The troopers were brought in last April after an earlier flurry of incidents. The three troopers worked evenings each night, patrolling with city officers.
    State police officials needed to reclaim their officers for two nights a week, but agreed to keep them in Schenectady the other five, Clifford said.
    Detectives believe that some of the recent incidents are related. In those, detectives say disputes between groups have sparked the gunfire.
    Of the 12 confirmed cases of shots fired this month, four people have been arrested, Clifford said. The shots have been fired at houses, cars and people. No deaths have resulted, but there have been injuries.
    Friday evening a man was shot in the leg on Francis Avenue, suffering what is believed to be a non-life-threatening wound.
    On Jan. 4, two men were injured in separate incidents, one of them critically.
    Elijah R. Jones, 22, of Paige Street, suffered a gunshot wound to the head at 12:04 that morning. His condition has since improved to serious, but detectives still haven’t been able to interview him.
    That afternoon, 30-year-old Edwin Villalongo, of State Street, suffered a gunshot wound to his back. He was able to drive to 929 Emmett St. where he asked the residents to call the police.
    Two men have been arrested, accused of firing shots inside homes.
    Yonas Solomon, 25, of Fourth Avenue, was charged Jan. 16 reckless endangerment, accused of firing a gun just after 10 a.m. inside his home.
    Rhakim Atkins, 21, of Strong Street, also faces a reckless endangerment charge related to a Jan. 8 shooting inside a Strong Street home. He is accused of firing a Walther P22 .22-caliber handgun in the kitchen area just before 9 a.m., according to papers filed in court.
    Then there were the incidents where no one was hit, but nerves were rattled.
    Martin Luther King School was placed on lock down late in the afternoon Jan. 15, after most of ...........................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....amp;EntityId=Ar01401

Pretty soon when you go downtown for whatever reason you'll need a bullet proof vest to feel safe.

No plan, no leadership, no anti-gang task force-no problems. "Pretty soon"? There is no reason to go Downtown. This Mayor has failed to lead and actually weakened the police.

I don't read where any of the shots fired reports were in the Downtown District.

Last night was a busy night for reports of shots fired.  One call was confirmed shots were fired and information in today's gazette and at that one there was evidence someone was hurt was between Elder and Robinson.  

All the calls last night and there were numerous ones not one was in Downtown.
Edit: If it ever gets busy downtown then we have to worry

Quoted from Cel

I don't read where any of the shots fired reports were in the Downtown District.

Last night was a busy night for reports of shots fired.  One call was confirmed shots were fired and information in today's gazette and at that one there was evidence someone was hurt was between Elder and Robinson.  

All the calls last night and there were numerous ones not one was in Downtown.
Edit: If it ever gets busy downtown then we have to worry

I would NOT go downtown at night. Not even to go to a movie. I won't even drive through most areas of schenectady during the day unless my car doors are locked. And driving is horrendous. People riding bikes in the middle of the road...people walking right in front of your car to cross the street with NO regard for traffic. And people have stood right in front of my car so I couldn't drive forward.

Heck, that's enough incentive for anyone to move to the city. You can pretty much do whatever you want to with no consequences. And it's spreading.

And to your point...'if downtown ever gets busy'....which after 10 years of the plex, you'd think it would be by now.

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Man in critical condition after shooting at Schenectady party

By CAROL DeMARE, Staff writer
Last updated: 12:58 p.m., Sunday, January 25, 2009

SCHENECTADY — A city man was in critical condition today after being shot in the head at a private party at a former bar, police said.
     
A woman at the party was shot in the back; her injury was not considered life threatening.

Witnesses told police that a gunman walked into 301 Altamont Ave. at about 4:50 a.m. today and shot the two people, spokesman Sgt. Eric Clifford said.

The party was at the former Tip Toe Inn, and the bar wasn't open to the public at the time, Clifford said.

"Whoever it was walked into this party and did it," he said. It was unclear whether the two who were shot were targeted, he said.

Police said both shooting victims are ............http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=763459

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Man charged in Schenectady mugging

By CAROL DeMARE, Staff writer
Last updated: 4:29 p.m., Sunday, January 25, 2009

SCHENECTADY — Police arrested a city man over the weekend on charges he brandished a handgun while mugging a teenager.
     
Beavin Robinson, 22, of Strong Street, was taken into custody shortly after 7 p.m. Saturday by officers who were flagged down by the victim, spokesman Sgt. Eric Clifford said.

Robinson allegedly threatened a 16-year-old with a handgun and took his wallet at the intersection of State and Robinson streets, police said.

Patrol officers were in the area investigating a report of shots fired on Elder Street and were able to identify Robinson from a description provided by the victim, Clifford said. A handgun was recovered in the area, he said.

After being placed in the back of a police car, Robinson kicked ................http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=763494

I tell you my Irish cousins are going crazy all over Schenectady. They have to stop their crazy ways I tell ya, and Irishman or two have even been elected president since the 60's so they have no excuse anymore for this behavior! The rest of us look bad, Beavin Robinson, because of your criminal ways!!!! With Saint Patrick's day a coming up I will call upon my Irish brothers and cousins to act civilized since we don't have the English to blame anymore for our wild ways, we need to be responsible!

Quoted from bumblethru

I would NOT go downtown at night. Not even to go to a movie. I won't even drive through most areas of schenectady during the day unless my car doors are locked. And driving is horrendous. People riding bikes in the middle of the road...people walking right in front of your car to cross the street with NO regard for traffic. And people have stood right in front of my car so I couldn't drive forward.

Heck, that's enough incentive for anyone to move to the city. You can pretty much do whatever you want to with no consequences. And it's spreading.

And to your point...'if downtown ever gets busy'....which after 10 years of the plex, you'd think it would be by now.

Great observations BT. Things are getting worse-not better. Metroplex has hurt the tax base with favoritism, partisanship and property tax giveaways. Cel is correct {this week}-but what about other crimes? Rape on Chapel St, violent robberies on Broadway. If Proctor's is dark you can roll a bowling ball down State St and not hit anyone. The Downtown movies are a flop. Terrible films, high prices and zero repaid to the oppressed County taxpayers. Things were better Downtown 10 years ago-Less crime and you could actually buy something.

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SCHENECTADY
Police seek suspect in man’s death Shooting at birthday party is first homicide in city this year
BY MICHAEL GOOT Gazette Reporter
Reach Gazette reporter Michael Goot at 395-3105 or mgoot@dailygazette.net.

A man is dead after being shot in the head early Sunday morning in the city’s first homicide of the year.
Police said the shooting occurred at 4:51 a.m. at the former Tip Toe Inn tavern at 301 Altamont Ave. Witnesses told police that during a private birthday party a man entered the building, which is near the corner of Altamont and Hamburg streets. He then shot a 24-year-old man in the head and a 26-year-old woman in the back. Both were transported to Albany Medical Center.
    Police are not releasing the victims’ names at this time. The man died at 12:15 p.m. The woman’s injury is not considered life threatening.
    Police spokesman Sgt. Eric Clifford said police have little to go on in finding the suspect.
    “We have no identity of that individual or why he was there,” he said. “All other witnesses and family members are not being cooperative.” Officers were seen entering the building, taking photographers and collecting evidence on Sunday afternoon. Anyone with knowledge of the incident is asked to call police at 788-6566.
    The city had eight homicides in 2008. Six were caused by gunshots.
    Clifford said he did not know how long the business had stopped being Tip Toe Inn. A Daily Gazette news story from 1999 indicated that the business closed down in 1997. The new owner sought a zoning change to allow the business to exist in a zone that did not permit it.
    Signs at ..................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....amp;EntityId=Ar00902

Scumnectady......

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EXCLUSIVE: Gun used in Schenectady murder stolen from a corrections officer

January 28, 2009 - 2:08 PM
Marci Natale & CBS 6 Staff

The gun found at a Shenectady murder scene over the weekend was stolen and belonged to a state Corrections Officer, according to sources who told CBS 6 reporter Marci Natale.

Sources tell Marci that the .45 caliber was taken from a car parked on Wagner Avenue in Rotterdam.  The car was reportedly unlocked.

A shooting occurred early Sunday morning at the old Tip Toe Inn at 301 Altamont Avenue in Schenectady.  Police say 24 year-old Jumez Lee of Hamilton Street was shot in the head and a 26 year-old woman was also shot.  

Both victims were taken to Albany Medical Center, where Lee was later pronounced dead.

This murder marked the first homicide of the year.

Marci Natale is following this developing story and will have more tonight beginning at 5:00.

http://www.cbs6albany.com/news/schenectady_1260454___article.html/corrections_sources.html

Sure it was.......

If I had left my registered hand gun in my unlocked car and it was stolen and used to commit a murder I'd be in jail right now for failure to safely secure my firearm and I'd have to surrender my pistol permit for an irrational act.

Quoted from Shadow

If I had left my registered hand gun in my unlocked car and it was stolen and used to commit a murder I'd be in jail right now for failure to safely secure my firearm and I'd have to surrender my pistol permit for an irrational act.

Thank you for that shadow. I was wondering when someone would bring that up!! IMHO