Two suspects remain at large after they fired multiple shots at a sheriff detective’s vehicle during an undercover drug investigation Monday evening. It happened at the Springfield Garden Apartment complex near Le Moyne College in DeWitt, the site of previous incidents and homicides.
Onondaga County Sheriff Gene Conway says detectives were just setting up surveillance for a covert purchase of heroin when...
"Two suspects approached the car, unprovoked, and without warning, to the detective inside the car," Conway said. "Once he realized what happened, his instincts took over, he immediately put his car into drive to escape the danger."
The detective, who is not being identified, also radioed others at the scene as he fled. Conway says the detective was not struck, and suffered only minor injuries from glass fragments. He did not return fire.
One arrest has been made. Conway says 31-year-old Jose Marcano of Springfield Garden was the intended target of the surveillance operation. He was arraigned on multiple drug charges.
"I will reiterate this again: This has a connection to drugs in our community. This has a connection to heroin in our community," Conway said. "This speaks to what we in the sheriff's office and other law enforcement agencies are trying to do about it."
Conway says the suspects are described as males in dark clothing who fled south out of the parking lot. He says the brazen action should be of concern to everyone.
"They shot at this vehicle. Whether they realize this was a law enforcement officer or not is not relevant in this case," Conway said. "We had two people walk up to a vehicle that was occupied with the sole intent of harming or killing the person inside."
Conway says it’s not yet clear if the shooting is connected to previous incidents
"However the fact that we've had such serious incidents in that complex and in that area over the last several months is certainly cause for concern," Conway said. "It's certainly obvious, as evidenced last night, we've had crimes being committed by people who either reside there, or frequent or visit there."
It’s the same place where a Syracuse University student was killed in a drug robbery last fall. Conway is appealing to the anyone with information about the suspects to come forward so they can close the investigation without further incident.
