Incidents
■ When: June 5, 2017 ■ Where: 535 Mumford St., Schenectady ■ Who: Anthony Logan, 23. Injured. ■ Police account: Police arrived at a residence for a domestic dispute call. In a Facebook Live video, Logan could be seen standing on the porch for several minutes and talking to police as they surrounded the house. At one point, Logan moved abruptly toward the officers below and police fired. Logan was hit twice, in his shoulder and hip. Logan was not armed when he was shot, but police said they found a bag that he had thrown into a nearby house that had a sawed-off shotgun in it. ■ Aftermath: Schenectady Police Chief Eric Clifford called the shooting justified and said it complied with the department’s policy and state law on the use of deadly force. In October 2017, Logan filed a claim against the city alleging civil rights violations and police brutality. Logan was later convicted of felony criminal possession of a weapon as well as misdemeanor charges of reckless endangerment, menacing, criminal contempt, criminal solicitation and tampering with a witness. In July 2018, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
■ When: June 13, 2016 ■ Where: First Avenue, Schenectady ■ Who: Joshua Scism, 33. Killed. ■ Police account: Plainclothes Detectives Ryan Kent and Brett Ferris were in their car and briefly exchanged words with Scism, who was on the street. Police said as Scism walked away he lifted his shirt to show a handgun that was tucked in his waistband. The two officers got out of their unmarked car, identified themselves as police and drew their weapons, they said. Scism allegedly pulled his gun and pointed it at the cops before one of them fired several fatal rounds at him. ■ Aftermath: In June 2018, a wrongful death lawsuit was filed in federal court by Scism’s widow. The suit alleges that police acted negligently and used excessive force. The lawsuit also said Scism was unarmed. The document named the city, the police department, and the two detectives as defendants. Both officers remain on active duty.
■ When: April 22, 2016 ■ Where: High Point Road, Berne ■ Who: Carl Baranishyn, 51. Killed. ■ Police account: Baranishyn called police, saying he was feeling suicidal and homicidal. When two troopers arrived at his house, Baranishyn was outside holding two folding knives. He charged at the troopers who shot him three times. ■ Aftermath: State Police officials said the Albany County coroner ruled the death suicide by police. A State Police official said at a news conference the two troopers were justified to shoot.
■ When: April 17, 2016 ■ Where: Hoosick Street, Troy ■ Who: Edson Thevenin, 37. Killed. ■ Police account: Thevenin had fled from an officer who attempted to pull him over when he crashed his car into a concrete barrier near the Collar City Bridge. Two police cars arrived at the scene, boxing Thevenin in. As Thevenin attempted to back up, Troy Police Sgt. Randall French got out of his patrol car. French said he was pinned by Thevenin’s car and fired eight rounds through the windshield. State prosecutors later said ballistics evidence showed Thevenin’s vehicle did not pin French. ■ Aftermath: Rensselaer County District Attorney Joel Abelove presented the case to a grand jury four days after the shooting, and gave French immunity from prosecution to testify. In addition, two citizens who witnessed the incident were not asked to appear in court. French was exonerated. Under a 2015 Gov. Andrew Cuomo executive order regarding police shootings of unarmed civilians, the attorney general’s office took over as special prosecutor. Abelove was later charged with lying to a grand jury and manipulating the investigation; a state Supreme Court justice dismissed all three charges against Abelove in June, ruling that the attorney general’s office improperly pursued a felony perjury charge that the justice said was beyond the office’s authority. The justice’s decision, however, did not dispute the attorney general’s authority to investigate Abelove’s role. The attorney general is now fighting to have the charges against Abelove reinstated.
■ When: April 10, 2016 ■ Where: 1061 Roberta Road, Rotterdam ■ Who: William Clark III, age unknown. Killed. ■ Police account: Police were called to the house by Clark’s mother. When they arrived they found Clark hiding behind a bedroom door. Clark lunged at Sgt. Keith Collins with a knife, striking him in the chest and shoulder. Collins’ protective ballistic vest absorbed the blows. Clark then slashed Officer Mark Frodyma in the back of the head. Collins used a Taser, but it malfunctioned. Frodyma shot at Clark four times, striking him twice in the chest and once in the head, police said. ■ Aftermath: State Police officials determined the officers’ actions were justified.