SALINA, NY – A tragic incident unfolded on Sunday evening in Salina, New York, as a police officer from Syracuse and a deputy from the Onondaga County Sheriff’s department were fatally shot. The suspect involved in the incident was also killed, officials confirmed.
The incident was initiated around 7:07 p.m. when Syracuse police officers noticed a suspicious vehicle in the vicinity of Emerson Avenue and Hamilton Street. The driver of the vehicle failed to comply when officers attempted to stop him, instead opting to flee the scene.
The officers lost sight of the fleeing vehicle but were able to record its license plate. Using this information, they determined the vehicle owner’s residence in Salina. Supported by deputies from the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, the officers traced the vehicle to a home on Darien Drive.
Syracuse Police Chief Joe Cecile stated that the officers requested backup from the Sheriff’s Office upon learning the suspect might be armed. Shortly after their arrival at the Darien Drive residence, the officers and deputies were confronted by an armed individual, leading to a fatal exchange of gunfire.
The officer, deputy, and suspect were rushed to Upstate University Hospital, where they later succumbed to their injuries. The Sheriff’s Office expressed their condolences to the families of the fallen officers, as well as their colleagues who are mourning this tragic loss.
As of late Sunday, the Sheriff’s Office was awaiting a warrant to search the residence. Sheriff Tobias Shelley assured residents that there is no direct threat to the community and that the area has been secured.