Update and Video: Deputy Identified In Scary Upstate NY Shootout

Shots rang out in the early morning hours yesterday in Saratoga Springs, NY when a barroom argument involving an off-duty deputy spilled onto the street and guns were drawn. When the dust settled, three people were injured.

What Happened?

Early reports are that an off-duty Vermont sheriff's deputy got into an argument with several men at a bar on Caroline Street in Saratoga Springs, NY. The off-duty deputy has recently been identified as Vito Caselnova, who is from Glens Falls but also works as a deputy in Vermont. When the fight continued outside, video seems to show both the off-duty deputy and at least one other man pulling their guns. Surveillance video (below) shows the moment gunfire erupts as bystanders scatter.

"Drop the Gun! Drop the Gun!"

Police responded almost immediately. Chilling body cam footage (below) shows officers rushing to the scene screaming, "Drop the gun! Drop the gun!". When the off-duty deputy involved in the fight did not, Saratoga Springs officers fired their weapons in the line of duty for the first time in 26 years, said Commissioner of Public Safety James Montagnino. Warning, the video, while not overtly graphic, may be difficult to watch.

The Aftermath

The shootout, which left three people injured, including the off-duty deputy who suffered at least 10 gunshot wounds, and his girlfriend who was reportedly superficially wounded on her arm. It is currently illegal in New York to carry a gun in a place where alcohol is served.

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Gun violence is a major concern in the Hudson Valley, too. A shooting in a pizzeria in Fishkill, NY as well as a fatal attack at a Poughkeepsie hotel are just two recent examples.