Charges filed in Colonie gun-threat case near Walmart; Police release dash cam photos of suspect pointing weapon - The Daily Gazette

COLONIE – Charges have been filed against a man accused of running with what looked like a rifle in Colonie and pointing it at multiple people near the Route 9 Walmart Wednesday.

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Police also released still images from a civilian dash cam that showed the suspect in front of the car, pointing the gun directly into it.

Police Thursday identified the suspect as Daquan D. Forehand, 25, of Utica. He now faces multiple felonies related to the incident, including two counts of second-degree attempted robbery and one count each of menacing a police officer and fourth-degree grand larceny.

Forehand was ultimately taken into custody without significant injury to him or others. Police, however, have called the scene “chaotic” and indicated that Forehand’s actions toward them could have resulted in police responding with deadly physical force.

The gun ended up being a Ruger pellet rifle, though police reiterated Thursday that, until just before officers took Forehand into custody, all involved – civilian and police – believed the weapon to be an actual firearm.

The incident began at about 12:20 p.m. Wednesday as police received multiple 911 calls reporting a man with a rifle running near the Walmart at 800 Loudon Road, police said.

The callers reported the man had pointed the rifle at multiple people and attempted to steal vehicles from at least two of the victims, police said.

The images of him with the gun came from one of those two cars, police said.

The calls then led to a large response from the police department. Officers then quickly located the individual on Route 9, under the Latham Circle overpass, police said.

Officers then took him into custody after a brief struggle. Police have said multiple officers suffered scrapes and bruises in arresting Forehand, though no charges were filed related to those injuries.

Police offered more details Thursday, indicating Forehand had been shopping at the Walmart with a family member just prior to the incident and was looking at the pellet rifle. He then suddenly grabbed it and ran through the store and into the parking lot, police said.

Lieutenant Henry Rosenzweig and Officer Michael Sbardella were the first to approach Forehand, police said, followed by multiple other officers.

The incident came hours after Forehand had been released on bail in connection with domestic violence charges in the Utica area, police said. He had been in custody there since March 7.

Forehand was also charged with resisting arrest, three counts of misdemeanor weapons possession, eight counts of misdemeanor menacing and one count of misdemeanor petit larceny.

Forehand was arraigned and remained held under the supervision of the Albany County Sheriff’s Office at Albany Medical Center, police said. Forehand is expected to undergo a mental health evaluation there, but did not appear to be injured as a result of the incident.

“The Colonie Police Department would like to thank the multiple witnesses who reported this incident, including the many witnesses who made brave attempts to follow him and assist in taking him into custody, while relaying vital information to responding Officers,” police said in a release.

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