Police say a 27-year-old Massena woman was involved in an alleged hunting-related confrontation on Highland Road Sunday evening in which a muzzleloader was fired and another person was punched. Jade LaGoy was arraigned in Massena Town Court and released after the incident, according to reports.
New York State Police troopers responded to Highland Road at approximately 6:12 p.m. on October 11 for a menacing complaint, and were joined by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation officers because of the active local hunting season, according to North Country Now. WWNY reported, citing police, that LaGoy and the alleged victim argued about hunting and the discharge of a firearm.
Court papers cited in the reports allege that LaGoy displayed a muzzleloader and fired it, telling the victim, “Last warning, b**ch.” The papers also allege she punched the victim in the face, after which the victim's nose bled heavily.
Charges Stem From Menacing and Weapon Possession Laws
State Police charged LaGoy with second-degree menacing and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Second-degree menacing under New York Penal Law § 120.14 is a Class A misdemeanor; Tilem & Associates says a conviction can carry up to 364 days in county jail and a fine of up to $1,000.
Fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon under Penal Law § 265.01 is also a Class A misdemeanor. The Law Office of Matthew Galluzzo, PLLC says a conviction can carry up to 364 days in jail and up to three years of probation.
New York Bail Rules
New York's bail reform laws address qualifying offenses and general securing-order rules, including release on recognizance or non-monetary conditions, according to the Jason Goldman Law.
Massena Town Court, located at Massena Town Hall in St. Lawrence County, handles local municipal and initial criminal matters, with Town Justices Eric Sharlow presiding on the second and fourth Wednesdays and Joseph Brown on the second and fourth Tuesdays, according to the Town of Massena.
Incident Fell Within Hunting Season's Narrow Window
The confrontation took place while archery season was active but six days before the early muzzleloader season was scheduled to open in the Northern Zone. According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the 2026 Northern Zone deer hunting calendar opened early bowhunting on September 27 through October 23, while the early muzzleloader season was scheduled to open on October 17.
Under New York Environmental Conservation Law § 11-0931, it is illegal to discharge a firearm within 500 feet of an occupied dwelling, farm building, school, or public structure without explicit permission from the property owner, per the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. That buffer requirement underscores the safety concerns that can arise when firearm discharges occur in populated or residential areas like Highland Road.
State Hunting-Safety Context
New York recorded seven hunting-related shooting incidents in 2025, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation: five were self-inflicted and two involved more than one person. Those figures describe a statewide safety category and do not establish whether the conduct alleged in this case was accidental or intentional; the 2025 total alone also does not show a longer-term trend.
The DEC says its Hunter Education course covers firearm and crossbow handling and safety techniques, according to its course information. That general guidance is not a finding about this incident.
