NEW PALTZ Man, 56, charged in restaurant shooting
NEW PALTZ, N.Y. » A town resident has been charged in the weekend shooting at the ”rale Mexican Restaurant, police said Thursday.
Garry F. Kniffen, 56, was arrested about 5 p.m. Wednesday after surrendering to New Paltz police. He was charged with one felony count of assault and the misdemeanor of reckless endangerment, police said.
The shooting at ”rale, at 11 Old Route 299 in New Paltz, happened about 9:30 p.m. Saturday, when there were several people inside the eatery at the time of the incident, according to police.
Police initially said a 59-year-old man suffered a gunshot wound that was not life-threatening. On Thursday, the department said another individual also was injured in the incident, but it did not elaborate. Police did not identify either of the two people or report their conditions.
On Sunday, the New Paltz Police Department said its preliminary investigation found a fight started inside the restaurant and a shot was fired. Transmissions heard on a police scanner reported a man had been shot in the foot and that the suspected gunman was held down by restaurant patrons.
Kniffen was arraigned in New Paltz Court and released with a court appearance ticket.
At the request of New Paltz police, the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office Pistol Permit Bureau has suspended Kniffen’s pistol permit, and his handguns have been seized by the Sheriff’s Office pending a hearing, police said.