NYSP: 70-Year-Old Tried to Kill Neighbor, Police in Hudson Valley
A 70-year-old man is accused of trying to kill his neighbor and later police. He was arrested following an 11-hour standoff with officers.
On Saturday, New York State Police arrested 70-year-old Stewart M. Mercay of Dover on two counts of attempted murder, felonies, following a standoff with police.
At approximately 1:45 a.m., troopers responded to Cedar Lane in Wingdale for a report of a man, later identified as Mercay, who reportedly fired two shotgun rounds through the living room window of his neighbor’s house.
Mercay retreated to his house and then refused to exit, police say. Subsequently, members of the New York State Police Special Operations Response Team, Crisis Negotiation Unit, Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office, Dutchess County Department of Emergency Response and Northern Dutchess Paramedics responded to the scene.
State Police attempted negotiations with Mercay for nearly 11 hours before he was taken into custody, according to police.
Before being taken into custody, Mercay allegedly vented propane gas from the kitchen stove and lit a candle before exiting through a rear door, placing law enforcement in danger of an explosion.
Mercay remanded to Dutchess County Jail without bail.
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- NYSP: 70-Year-Old Tried to Kill Neighbor, Police in Hudson Valley