News: Emergency Alert in Sound Beach
(Long Island, N.Y.) An incident on Wednesday night involving a disguised gunman caused the Suffolk County Police Department to issue a Code Red warning to residents of Sound Beach. The emergency alert system was activating on high alert at roughly eleven-thirty at night. It came after several 911 callers reported hearing shots fired an hour prior; one even reported being face to face with the alleged gunman.
The emergency alert system was issued through the phones, urging residents to remain indoors. According to reports, the Wednesday night incident is believed to be the first time the system was used to warn residents about something other than severe weather conditions. Nonetheless, residents reported receiving mixed messages concerning the incident.
Sources claimed that a second message was issued to residents in the area at roughly one in the morning. The message allegedly came after an extensive search was made in the area involving K-9 units and helicopters. It stated that the home where the shots were fired was randomly selected and that there was no further threat to the area.
Confusion resulted when some of the residents found out that the message should have said “not randomly selected” or “targeted.” The shots that were fired occurred near a home on Waterville Drive. The gunman was described as having a face painted white with black triangles above and below the eyes.
According to reports, the first message claiming there was a shooting in the neighborhood also described the gunman. Other reports described him as wearing a black sweatshirt and black beanie hat. One resident claimed that after confronting the gunman, whom he mistook for a neighbor, the man armed with a shotgun took off the opposite way by foot.
No one was injured when the alleged gunman approached a group of people talking outside a home on Waterville Drive. A round of shots was fired in the air before the gunman fled. The man has still not been apprehended and no arrests have been made in connection with the shooting.
Sources stated that the Suffolk County Police Seventh Squad detectives announced at four in the afternoon yesterday that they are still investigating the incident. It has been reported that there is also an investigation into the miscommunication that occurred with the emergency alert system. Police and authorities on the case are urging anyone with information about the shooting to call Crime Stoppers with an anonymous tip. Sound Beach is a hamlet associated with the Town of Brookhaven.
