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The victim was discovered at an area hospital around 12:45 a.m., Wednesday, Dec. 9, when police responded to multiple calls for shots fired in the area of South Lander Street and Courtney Avenue in Newburgh.
Upon arrival, officers canvassed the area but found nothing. Shortly thereafter 911 received a hang-up call from an address on Overlook Place, where the caller advised that someone was banging on the door and was bleeding, said City of Newburgh Police Chief Arthur Amthor.
Officers followed a blood trail in the immediate area, observing large amounts of blood and three .40 S&W caliber spent shell casings.
No victim was located at the scene.
While collecting evidence dispatch received a call from St. Luke’s Hospital advising that a gunshot victim had arrived there.
The victim, Jamel Johnson suffered a gunshot wound to his upper thigh.
Amthor said Johnson was totally and completely uncooperative with investigating officers, even to the point that he would not even allow them to photograph his wound.
“Rarely a night goes by when officers do not handle shooting calls, this is a problem that permeates several areas in the City at any given time," Amthor said. "The lack of cooperation routinely exhibited by victims themselves does nothing to help address the problem."
The chief said the department has recovered a "staggering number of guns," but the numbers of shootings do not seem to show any reductions as a result.
Amthor and Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler plan to issue a press release outlining shooting numbers, to include victim demographics, to highlight the great number of shootings and guns in the region.
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