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The suspect involved in a fatal shooting in Saratoga Springs is scheduled to appear in court today (April 8). Brendan Carl, 26, is accused of shooting his roommate, Michael Collins, 27, with a pellet-style gun at their home on Warren Street. The incident occurred early Sunday morning (April 6), and Collins was found unresponsive by first responders. Despite efforts to save him, he was pronounced dead at Albany Medical Center.
According to the Saratoga Springs Police Department, Carl has been charged with second-degree manslaughter, a Class C felony, and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a misdemeanor. He was arraigned in the Saratoga Springs City Court and is currently in the custody of the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, with bail set at $25,000 cash, $50,000 partial bond, or $300,000 bond.
The police have not confirmed whether the shooting was accidental or intentional, but Saratoga County District Attorney Karen Heggen suggested it might have been a tragic accident. The two men were not only roommates but also friends and colleagues at New York Life Insurance Company in Latham. Collins’ grandparents live next door to the duplex where the incident occurred, and the family believes it may have been an accident.
The investigation is ongoing, and the police are urging anyone with additional information to come forward. Carl faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.