Police: Neighbor Pulls Out Shotgun After Squabble Gets Physical

A Utica man is under arrest, facing charges after an argument with a neighbor.

Officers from the Utica Police Department were called to the 1500 block of Lincoln Avenue on Friday, March 25, 2022 for a shots fired call.

Police say they found five spent 20-gauge shotgun shells in the driveway of a home.

During their investigation police say they learned that there had been an argument between neighbors.  The argument escalated and turned physical and police say that it when 56-year-old Stephen Strutynski of Utica said that he was going to get his shotgun and go back outside.

According to a written release from the UPD, "(as) the other parties went back into their residence they heard what sounded like a shotgun being loaded and then heard and witnessed multiple rounds being fired in the driveway."

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Police say Strutynski was positively identified as the party who was allegedly shooting the shotgun.

No injuries were reported as a result of the alleged gunshots.

The UPD says that the Major Crimes Unit and Warrants Unit arrested Strutynski and took him into custody without incident.

A search warrant was subsequently applied for and granted.  Police searched Strutynski's apartment for the shotgun.

Police say a 20-gauge shotgun was found inside the home and secured as evidence in the case.

Strutynski now faces the following charges:

• Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 3rd Degree
• Menacing in the 2nd Degree
• Reckless Endangerment in the 2nd Degree

He will answer the charges in court at a future date.

[AUTHOR'S NOTE:   This post is for informational purposes and is based largely on information received from the Utica Police Department.  The reader is reminded that all suspects and arrested persons are innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.  At the time of this posting no additional information is available.]