A heavily intoxicated and agitated man allegedly fired multiple rounds from a firearm on Geddes Street in Holley on Tuesday afternoon, prompting a multi-agency police response before he surrendered to officers without incident. No one was struck by the gunfire, and the man was taken to a hospital for a psychological evaluation. Criminal charges are anticipated.
Shots Reported Around 2:47 P.M.
Holley police responded to 68 Geddes Street at approximately 2:47 p.m. Tuesday after a 911 caller reported a male with a firearm at the address, according to Newport Dispatch. Neighbors told police that three to four gunshots were fired during the disturbance, and Holley Police Chief Robert Barton said the suspect was previously known to local law enforcement, according to Orleans Hub. The gunfire was not directed at any person, and the man ultimately complied with officers' verbal commands, allowing police to take him into custody without incident.
The address where the disturbance unfolded is notable in its own right: the site is a spacious 1891 Victorian house that previously operated as the Rosewood Bed & Breakfast near the Erie Canal, per the same Orleans Hub account. Police later executed a search warrant at the residence, and the Murray Joint Fire District closed a portion of Geddes Street during the search, Newport Dispatch reported.
Forensic Search and Medical Custody
Search operations at the home utilized a Monroe County Sheriff's Office K9 unit specifically trained in nitrate detection to locate gunpowder residue, the outlet's report notes. Mercy EMS transported the man to Unity Hospital for a psychological evaluation, with a Holley police officer accompanying him during the transport, per Newport Dispatch. Rochester Regional Health's Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program is located at Clifton Springs Hospital & Clinic.
That path to a hospital rather than straight to jail reflects a specific legal authority. Under New York Mental Hygiene Law Section 9.41, police officers may detain and transport individuals to a hospital for psychiatric evaluation when their behavior indicates mental illness and poses a risk of serious harm, according to the New York State Senate. Criminal charges are still anticipated in connection with the incident, though the investigation remains ongoing, per Newport Dispatch.
New York Reckless Endangerment Laws
New York Penal Law Sections 120.20 and 120.25 classify second-degree reckless endangerment as a Class A misdemeanor and first-degree reckless endangerment as a Class D felony, respectively, per the New York State Senate.
A Small Department Leaning on Its Neighbors
The scale of Tuesday's response says as much about Holley's police department as it does about the incident itself. The Orleans County Sheriff's Office, New York State Police, Albion Police Department, and Monroe County Sheriff's Office all assisted Holley police, with K9 units from Albion and Monroe County joining the search, Newport Dispatch reported. That kind of mutual aid is often necessary because the Holley Police Department is a small rural force comprising a chief, two full-time officers, and six part-time officers serving a village of roughly 1,800 residents, according to Orleans Hub.
Chief Barton has announced plans to retire in July 2027, according to the outlet.
Geddes Street has otherwise been a site of local pride this month, with the village recently celebrating the completion of a Holley is Home landmark mural at 66 Public Square, Orleans Hub reported. Tuesday's standoff, by contrast, underscored the pressure a tiny department can face when a single call escalates. The investigation remains open, and it is not yet known what charges, if any, will ultimately be filed or what the outcome of the man's evaluation at Unity Hospital will be.
