Albany’s mayor and police chief are urging an end to a recent uptick in gun violence in the city. Mayor Kathy Sheehan and Police Chief Eric Hawkins spoke with reporters Tuesday morning after police said a 15-year-old girl shot Monday night on Wilbur Street had died. Police say Destiny Greene of Latham was shot around 9:30 p.m. and went to Albany Memorial Hospital where she was pronounced dead.
"The message today is that the police are here, law enforcement is here," Sheehan said. "If you have a gun and you use it in our city, we find you, we will arrest you and we will ask the district attorney to put you in jail for a very long time. The gun violence has to stop."
Chief Hawkins said police have a number of leads connected to Monday’s fatal shooting and a person of interest.
"This is something that the police cannot solve alone," Hawkins said. "We need the help of the members of this community. We need the members of this community to let us know where these guns are."
Police are also investigating a shooting Monday afternoon that injured a 20-year-old man. Police say officers responded to the 300 block of Clinton Avenue for reports of shots fired around 4 p.m. Shortly after, a man arrived at Albany Medical Center with a gunshot wound to his back. He was being treated for what appeared to be non-life threatening injuries.
The incidents are the latest in a recent uptick in violence including a fatal drive-by shooting Friday afternoon at 1st and Quail Streets that injured five others and an another fatal shooting hours later near the corner of Central Avenue and Henry Johnson Boulevard. Albany Police on Tuesday evening announced the arrest of 33-year-old Natural Wise Joseph of Colonie in connection with the fatal shooting of 39-year-old Lashon Turner at Central and Henry Johnson. Police say Joseph has been charged with murder, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a controlled substance after he was found with cocaine during the arrest.
Governor Andrew Cuomo says at Sheehan’s request, he is directing the State Police to assist city police, including increased patrols and deployment of the Community Stabilization Unit.
