Police: Ogdensburg teen charged in shooting had illegal guns

Matt Curatolo, Watertown Daily Times, N.Y.
·2 min read

May 22—OGDENSBURG — An Ogdensburg teen is facing multiple counts of illegal firearm possession following an investigation into a Tuesday morning shooting at a Congress Street apartment building, according to Ogdensburg police.

In a press release Wednesday afternoon, city police said that a 17-year-old boy had been charged with five counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon and one count of criminal possession of a firearm.

Due to the age of the teen charged, city police said they would not release further information other than that his case was sent to St. Lawrence County Court, Youth Part.

The charges stem from a report of a shooting at 826 Congress St. at 4:53 a.m. on Tuesday. The apartment building was occupied by two men in separate apartments at the time of the incident and neither were injured by a single shot that went through the front door of the building. Police said that the bullet continued into the wall of the downstairs apartment.

"A suspect was quickly developed as a 17-year-old male who was known to the police. The facts of the case lead officers to 1111 Congress Street, probable cause was developed that the male party, and unlawful firearms were currently possessed by the male party inside that residence at that time.

A search warrant was requested and issued through Ogdensburg City Court," the press release said.

Due to the potential of the scene turning into a barricaded standoff, city police requested a New York State Police SORT team to assist with the search warrant and apprehension of the suspect.

City police said that the search warrant resulted in the seizure of several unlawful firearms, including a "sawed off" shotgun and an AK-47-style rifle, and led to the charges against the 17-year-old.

City police said that the investigation is active and ongoing and further arrests are expected.

The public is asked to check security cameras in the area of Congress and Mechanic streets between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. on May 21. Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact city police Detective Jason Streeter at 315-393-1551.

City police were assisted by the St. Lawrence County Sheriff's Office, state police, state Department of Environmental Conservation police, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, Ogdensburg Volunteer Rescue Squad and Lifenet.