Photo: baona / iStock / Getty Images
A Schenectady man, Justin Wagner, has pleaded guilty to assault charges related to a shooting incident in Halfmoon. Wagner, 25, admitted to firing multiple rounds from an AR-15 rifle during a confrontation with a man on January 4. The victim was struck in the hand and lower leg but survived, thanks to the swift response of emergency personnel who applied tourniquets and transported him to Albany Medical Center.
The shooting stemmed from a personal dispute between Wagner and the victim. Wagner had driven to Halfmoon with the intent to confront the individual, using an illegal AR-15 rifle he had constructed in his Schenectady apartment. Following the incident, Wagner fled the scene but was quickly apprehended by law enforcement, who discovered the firearm in his work van.
Saratoga County District Attorney Karen Heggen praised the quick actions of the Saratoga County Sheriff's Office, stating, "Thanks to their quick response and calm under pressure, they were able to save the victim's leg and take both the defendant and the illegal firearm into custody within minutes of the shooting."
Wagner is scheduled for sentencing on July 15, where he is expected to receive a 16-year prison term, followed by two and a half years of probation. The court will also issue a full stay-away order of protection for the victim.
According to News10, this case highlights the dangers posed by illegal firearms and the severe consequences of personal disputes escalating to violence.