By Sumaiya Nasir | August 28, 2022
Photo Credit: Stock Photos
Several gunshots were fired early Sunday morning leaving six injured, two of which are currently in critical condition.
Albany police were clearing what officers on the scene called a “large and unruly crowd” on Hudson Avenue between Quail and Ontario Streets at 3 a.m. when they heard the shots. This location is a notorious party spot when university classes are back in session.
Partakers in the rowdy incident threw glass bottles at officers attempting to clear the streets and break up fights. A few streets over on Hamilton Street by Ontario Street, several shots were heard and police went to investigate.
Officers located “evidence consistent with gunshots” as well as five victims at the scene who had sustained gunshot wounds.
According to the Albany Police Department (APD), the victims were as follows:
A 20-year-old man from Albany sustained a gunshot wound to the abdomen.
A 29-year-old man from Albany sustained a gunshot wound to the back.
A 24-year-old man from Albany sustained a gunshot wound to the shoulder.
A 24-year-old man from Albany sustained a gunshot wound to the shoulder.
A 19-year-old woman from Schenectady sustained a gunshot wound to the ankle.
Victims were treated at the scene by emergency medical personnel and transported to Albany Medical Center. Among the victims, the 20-year-old and 29-year-old men are currently in critical conditions, while others are in stable conditions.
Shortly after those on the scene were transported, a sixth victim who went back to her home in Schenectady was reported. The 17-year-old woman contacted Schenectady police to inform them that she was shot in the abdomen on Hamilton Street Sunday morning.
She was transported to Albany Medical Center with what appear to be non-life threatening injuries.
The University at Albany confirmed that none of the victims were students, and police continue to investigate whether or not there are connections between the shooting and the unruly crowd in Pine Hills. There is no evidence sufficient enough to make such a connection at the moment, according to APD.
UAlbany shared in a statement Sunday morning that school officials and police officers initiated door-to-door visits in student-populated areas to urge students to stay away from large crowds in midtown.
"Sunday morning’s events make that even more alarmingly clear," read the UAlbany statement. "While it also is clear from recent experience that many of the people in these crowds are not college students, we have increased programming on our uptown campus to keep more students uptown on weekend nights. UAlbany has been part of midtown for more than a century and we are committed to continuing to work closely with the city to do what the university can to keep the neighborhood safe for everyone."
The ASP attempted to reach out to APD for more information but was unable to receive a comment at this time.
The University Police Department (UPD) responded to a shooting near the intersection at Washington Avenue and Quail Street on Aug. 21 where a UAlbany student sustained minor injuries.
UPD Chief of Police, Paul Burlingame, sent out a message in response to the incident, stating that students should remain cognizant of their surroundings as the shooting occured where many off-campus students reside.
Both investigations remain ongoing and APD and UPD ask that anyone with information step forward.
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