By Denise Champagne
Daily Messenger, Canandaigua, N.Y.
CANANDAIGUA, NY — An off-duty parole officer who lived at Pinnacle North Apartments was killed Wednesday in an exchange of gunfire with police, who were called by apartment management for what was termed a “welfare check.”
Scott Creswell, chief operating officer of Morgan Management, which manages Pinnacle North, said a call was received about a person missing some appointments, so as is customary, police were called to come do the welfare check.
Canandaigua City Police Chief Stephen Hedworth released few details and declined to identify the dead person but said the police officer, who also has not been identified, was not hurt.
“The officer that responded went to the apartment, entered the apartment, and during the course of the complaint gunfire was exchanged between the officer and an individual in the apartment,” Hedworth said. “The officer was not struck and is unharmed.”
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The victim worked for the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, which released a statement late Wednesday saying it was aware of “a tragic incident” involving an off-duty parole officer.
“Although we are unable to comment due to the ongoing investigation, we grieve for the loss of one of our own,” says the statement from Thomas Mailey, director of public information.
Hedworth said police were called to the apartment complex at 4:13 p.m. He declined to release additional information about the officer or the call.
“That’s all at this time,” he said Wednesday evening. “I’m not going to get into the details of anything as to the shooting itself and the nature of the complaint.”
The shooting victim was taken away in a Canandaigua Emergency Squad ambulance and later pronounced dead.
Hedworth said the investigation of the shooting has been turned over to New York State Police and the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office and was in the early stages.
Upon arriving, officers quickly taped off the perimeter of the apartment complex, keeping people away for more than two hours. Ontario County First Assistant District Attorney James Ritts was on the scene, as well as more than a dozen marked and unmarked police cars.
“I was watching TV, and then I saw all the police cars,” said Alex Montoya, a Pinnacle North tenant. “I have no idea what happened.”
Brian Bray and a couple of friends were at the McDonald’s up the street. He said he heard there had been gunshots and that someone was put into an ambulance after police swarmed the building.
“I didn’t know anything was going on,” said another tenant who declined to give his name. “I brought my dog out for a walk, and there were more police cars than I have ever seen in my life.”
A woman said cardio-pulmonary resuscitation was administered to the injured before he or she was put into the ambulance.
Also responding was the Canandaigua Fire Department.
State Trooper Mark O’Donnell, Troop E public information officer, said media information is being handled by Canandaigua City Police. It was not immediately known when more information might be released.
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(c)2017 Daily Messenger, Canandaigua, N.Y.