New York Gunman Shot and Killed After 20-Hour Standoff
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Courtesy New York State Police(NEW YORK) — Police and SWAT teams in upstate New York on Thursday shot and killed the man suspected of killing several individuals before holing himself up in an abandoned building for nearly 20 hours.
Kurt Myers, 64, of Mohawk, N.Y., is believed to have killed four people and wounded two others during a shooting spree Wednesday morning that ended when Myers shot at police officers and ran to hide in the abandoned building.
New York State police said on Thursday that after nearly 20 hours of engaging in a stand-off with Myers, they sent a police K-9 into the abandoned building ahead of armed officers. Myers shot at and killed the dog.
SWAT team members and state police then stormed the building, shooting and killing Myers, they said.
The standoff began around 11 a.m. Wednesday, following his shooting spree that began two hours earlier when Myers set fire to his home in Mohawk.
Police believe he then took a shotgun and drove to John’s Barber Shop in Mohawk where he killed Harry Montgomery, 68, of Mohawk, and Michael Rancier, 57, of Herkimer. He also wounded shop owner John Seymour and customer named Dan Haslauer, New York state Police Commissioner Joseph D’Amico said.
He drove to Gaffey’s car wash in neighboring Herkimer where he gunned down Thomas Stefka, an employee at the car wash, and Michael Renshaw, before fleeing to the abandoned building.
There, he fired at approaching police officers and then disappeared into the building.
State police and FBI SWAT team members surrounded the building and began a standoff with Myers. They said on Wednesday that they did not want to rush into the building out of caution for officers’ safety.
Police still do not know the motive for the shootings.
Fred Randall, who lives next door to Myers, told ABC News that Meyers is an older man who lives alone and has never been friendly to him.
Rendall said he would try to say “good morning,” a greeting that the neighbor usually did not return.
Schools in Herkimer and Mohawk remain closed on Thursday due to the standoff.
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