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The incident took place in Orange County around 3:30 p.m., on Wednesday, Oct. 12, in the town of Mount Hope.
According to Trooper Steven Nevel, Orange County 911 dispatched the state police and the Town of Mount Hope Police for a reported potential suicide.
The caller said they heard a gun go off and believed that a man had shot himself, Nevel said.
Responding officers arrived on the scene and encountered Russell J. Teuschler, age 74, armed with a handgun.
After numerous attempts to have Teuschler drop the firearm, he fired his handgun, striking himself in the head, Nevel said.
Nevel said troopers performed life-saving measures on Teuschler but were unable to revive him. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Office of the Attorney General of the State of New York was notified and responded to investigate.
The investigation is ongoing.
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