Leads sought in Niagara Falls shooting incident

Rick Pfeiffer, Lockport Union-Sun & Journal, N.Y.

Feb. 16—NIAGARA FALLS — Falls Police Criminal Investigation Division detectives are looking for help from the public to locate a suspect in a shooting incident in the 600 block of 19th Street Sunday night.

Investigators say the unidentified male victim was brought to the emergency room at Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center around 9:15 p.m. in a private vehicle. The vehicle was last seen "speeding away" from the hospital.

The victim, a 24-year-old Falls man, was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to both his legs. Initial reports indicated that the man had been shot three times.

Investigators said the victim was "uncooperative" while being treated and was "openly hostile toward police and medical personnel." Police reported that, at one point while the victim was being evaluated, he attempted to "walk-out of the hospital without treatment," refusing to cooperate with investigating officers.

Patrol officers at the hospital, "fearing the victim would not survive (his) injuries without medical treatment", were were able to locate the man and bring him back to the ER where he was treated further.

Detectives said the victim is expected to survive his injuries.

Investigators said the shooting is believed to have taken place inside.

The shooting is believed to have occurred in a brick apartment building at 615 19th St. and witnesses said they observed what appeared to be a man jumping from a second floor window of the building around the time the shooting was reported.

Video from security cameras at a nearby business may confirm the witness accounts.

It's not the first time that gunfire has erupted at that address. On Jan. 4, patrol officers responded to a multiple calls of "shots fired" there around 8:20 p.m.

Officers located 20 .223-caliber shell casings, 19 of them them spent, between houses at 612 and 614 19th St. Windows in the apartment building appeared to have been shattered by the gunfire.

Investigators also found evidence of bullet holes in the brick of the building. No injuries were reported as a result of that incident.

Sources have described the apartment building as a "trap house."

Detectives said Sunday's shooting remains under investigation. Anyone who may have information about the incident is asked to contact Falls Police detectives at 286-4553.

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