Police officer cleared in shooting
The Middletown police officer who wounded a man in an exchange of gunfire over the weekend has been cleared of wrongdoing, according to the Orange County district attorney.
The officer, 26-yearold Evan Barone, shot Desean Owens in the head and lower body Saturday evening on Myrtle Avenue in Middletown after Owens shot the officer in the arm, authorities have said. A doorbell camera video of the incident, released Tuesday, confirms that Owens shot first.
District Attorney David Hoovler said during a press conference Tuesday that an investigation by his office found Barone, who has been a Middletown officer for three years, acted properly. State police also are conducting an investigation. Owens, 29, of the Bronx, has been charged with attempted murder and weapons crimes for the shooting. He was in stable condition Tuesday at Westchester
Medical Center and was to be sent to the Orange County Jail without bail when he’s released from the hospital.
Authorities said Owens is on parole after serving
time for robbery and has a history as a violent criminal.
Authorities have said Barone, whose name wasn’t made public until Tuesday, was in a marked police car when he was flagged down in front of 28 Myrtle Ave. about 7:40 p.m. Saturday. He got out of the car to speak to a woman about an apparent incident of domestic violence, and then was shot in the left forearm by Owens, who had emerged from the home with a handgun, according to Middletown police. Barone returned fire immediately.
Hoovler said Barone “placed himself between the shooter and [three] children” who were in a parked car at the scene.
“He did an outstanding job,” Middletown Police Chief Ewanciw said of Barone. “His warrior instincts kicked in that day.”