A 9-year-old boy was struck by a projectile that police believe was fired from a BB gun while he was walking past a vehicle on Hoyt Street in Spring Valley on Wednesday. The boy told officers he heard a loud noise and then suddenly felt pain near his left hip, and his injuries were found to be non-life-threatening. By Thursday, police had arrested a 24-year-old Spring Valley man and charged him in connection with the shooting.
According to dailyvoice.com, the department believes the boy was hit while walking by a vehicle on Hoyt Street, and his injuries were assessed as non-life-threatening by Hatzolah EMS. As News12 Hudson Valley reports, the child is recovering from the injuries caused by the round.
The response began when officers were sent to investigate a suspicious incident near the intersection of Hoffman Street and Hoyt Street on Wednesday, October 14, per monseyscoop.com. The outlet notes that the suspect vehicle and everyone who had been inside it at the time of the incident were later located with assistance from Chaverim of Rockland, a local volunteer organization that aided investigators in tracking down those involved.
Arrest Follows Overnight Investigation
Police identified and arrested Spring Valley resident Marco J. Guanoquiza-Caillagua, 24, on Thursday, October 15, the same account states. He was charged with second-degree assault, two counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and endangering the welfare of a child, according to the same report. A separate Patch headline referred to the arrested man as 22, though the Patch article's own text identifies him as 24-year-old Marco J. Guanoquiza-Caillagua of Spring Valley, matching the age reported elsewhere.
Monseyscoop.com notes that all charges are accusations and that Guanoquiza-Caillagua is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. The evidence reviewed does not establish whether investigators recovered a BB gun or other weapon, nor does it indicate who fired the projectile or whether the incident was deliberate. Details about the defendant's arraignment, plea, bail status or any eventual court disposition have not been verified.
What New York Law Says About Air Guns in Public
New York Penal Law Section 265.35, cited by the New York State Senate, addresses the prohibited use of weapons, including willfully discharging an air gun or other weapon in a public place or anywhere another person could be endangered — even if no injury results — except in cases of self-defense or official duty. The excerpt available does not specify which exact charge applies in this case.
The boy's identity, his hospital treatment and his current medical condition beyond the non-life-threatening designation have not been publicly detailed. Investigators have not released additional information about what prompted the shooting or whether further arrests are expected.
