Kingsbury man injured in officer-involved shooting in South Glens Falls
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SOUTH GLENS FALLS, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- There was an officer-involved shooting in the area of State Route 9 and Catherine Street in South Glens Falls on Wednesday, per the New York State Police. Troopers said a suspect, identified as 45-year-old Billy Cassell III of Kingsbury, was injured in the shooting.
. The scene all played out just after noon on Wednesday on a normally quiet street in South Glens Falls. What started as a traffic stop, quickly turning into chaos. Residents who saw it said they couldn’t believe their eyes.
“I lived here for almost four and a half years, maybe five, possibly, and had not been like any. Nothing like this happening with a high-speed chase or whatever,” said Joseph Elstin, who one of those neighbors who couldn’t believe what he saw play out in his neighborhood.
“I seen a whole bunch of cop cars coming up the block, and then next thing I know, I hear the siren like the fire department going off. So, I thought something was really happening,” explained Elstin.
State Police Troop G Commander, Major Christopher Gilroy, said it all started when 45-year-old Billy Cassell III from Kingsbury who was out on parole fled from police, “Which ended when the vehicle crashed into a home at the intersection of State Route 9 and Catherine Street with what has been determined to be a loaded Mossberg 12 gauge shotgun.”
It was a scene that Hannah Granger, who lives in the home, said she was lucky to avoid. She said, “I normally work from home Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays, but I actually went in the office today for some stuff. I got a Ring alert on my doorbell that someone rang my doorbell. Which is very odd. I don't really have anyone that kind of comes around during the day.” She says her dog Ace was not as lucky. “Ace was actually in the living room when everything happened. He got pretty spooked and went into our other room and my dad kind of went in and rescued him. He was shaking and he had to be carried out.”
The tense situation ended when troopers shot Cassell. Major Gilroy said troopers had no choice, “Troopers instructed him multiple times to drop the firearm. He did not follow the trooper's commands and raised the firearm towards the troopers, at which time a trooper fired his department issued firearm, striking Mr. Cassell in the right shoulder.”
For residents like Hannah Granger and her pup Ace, she’s thankful they’re ok. “I think we're going to have to find another place to stay, especially tonight and ongoing. But we have a lot of people behind us that have been offering for us to stay. And a lot of people sent us money for dinner tonight. Which is really nice because we had a crockpot dinner going, we're excited about. So, it's just it's really scary.”
State Police say Cassell is in stable condition at Albany Medical Center and is looking at several felonies in this case. They said there was also a passenger in the vehicle who also fled but was quickly apprehended nearby. Once Cassell is well enough to be released from the hospital he will be turned over to state police.
This is the third officer-involved shooting to occur in the month of April. State Police said there is no threat to the public and that an investigation into the incident is ongoing. Stick with NEWS10 as more information becomes available.