Community reacts to two officer-involved shootings in 24 hours

MALTA, N.Y. (NEWS10) – Two suspects are dead after the back-to-back officer-involved shootings in the small town of Malta. First a shooting at the New York State Police barracks, then a shooting at an apartment complex that started as a domestic violence call. 

On Friday, NEWS10 caught up with community members who said they were shocked because this type of thing just doesn’t happen in this quiet town.

Down one calm residential street in Malta, you can hear the soft sounds of birds chirping. This is how most residents describe the town. Residents like Town Supervisor Cynthia Young.

“It’s been a quiet and peaceful town,” said Young. She, and other residents, said they were stunned to learn two suspects are now dead after two separate officer-involved shootings within a 24 hour period.

“Not something I’ve ever heard of here before, at least not in the 40 years that I’ve been here,” said Young. 

The shoot out at the New York State Police barracks happened at 1:43 P.M. on Wednesday. A man pulled into the Troop G barracks, off of Route 9 in Malta, exited a red pickup truck and shot at the building with a hunting style rifle.

Troopers said they are still working to learn how many shots were fired by the suspect, but they know the building was struck twice. You can see one bullet hole above the doorway and another on the gutter. Troopers exited the building and returned fire, killing the suspect. 

Police later identified the man as David Levine, 69, of Malta. 

“I was shocked because Malta is like a sleepy town and my partner and I were saying that it’s no different than any other small town when there’s gun violence. People say it never happens,” said Farrell.

Then, on Thursday at 10:37 A.M., another gun related tragedy at the Ellsworth Apartments. Troopers and Saratoga County deputies responded to a “physical domestic dispute” call and said Brandon Moore, 37, had barricaded himself inside of his apartment. They said they had been negotiating with Moore, prior to him being shot dead. The victim and two officers sustained minor injuries.

When word broke of the second officer involved shooting residents said they were in disbelief.

“It was just amazing that there are such a maniacs running around that would put themselves and everybody else in that position and I really feel badly for the people in the apartments too though, who have been completely displaced at their own expense and they can’t go back to their apartments for another 2 to 3 days and the hotels around here are very expensive,” said Carla Relkin, her friend Rhonda Cooper echoed her concerns.

“I’ve lived here for 50 years and this is the first time that I can remember, other than a shooting in Saratoga years and years ago, where we’ve had this kind of incident and it’s kind of scary. So hopefully state troopers will keep us safe and life will be better and the crazies will stay away,” said Cooper. She added she thinks the two shootings are a sign of the times. 

“Just think of all the stress that people are going under right now, with the economy and everything. I think that has something to do with it. I think people just can’t take it anymore,” said Cooper. 

“I do personally believe we have too many guns and there are a lot of emotionally unstable people. It’s not a good combination,” said Farrell. “It’s just very tragic and yet the bigger tragedy, I think, is that we will go about our days and forget.”

While the memory of these two events won’t quickly be forgotten, Young said, the town is resilient and strong.

“I have every confidence that we will move past this and be back to the normal, happy community that we are,” said Young, who thanked law-enforcement. “We still think that Malta is a very safe community that focuses on families.”

Police said there is no threat to the public. Both investigations are open and ongoing. On Friday evening, the Attorney General’s office announced it has opened an investigation into the death of Levine.

In accordance with state law, the AG’s Office of Special Investigation (OSI) assesses every incident reported to it, where a police officer or a peace officer – including a corrections officer – may have caused the death of a person by an act or omission.