Baker
TOWN OF WALLKILL – A Middletown man was arrested Sunday afternoon
after he threatened to shoot staff and residents of a group home in the
parking lot of the Galleria at Crystal Run. Before State Police arrived,
the man, later identified as Jeffrey Baker, 21, of Middletown fled into
the Sears store where he confronted two women and threatened to shoot
them as well.
Troopers located him inside the mall and took him into custody.
The incident began when he approached the group home staff and residents
as they walked through the parking lot and he confronted them, saying
he had a pistol and was going to shoot them. At the time, he concealed
his hand behind him near his waistband, police said.
The group home people retreated to their vehicle and called State Police
while Baker continued to threaten and challenged them from outside their
vehicle.
Baker had no connection to the people or to the group home.
When troopers located him inside the mall, he was not armed. Police charged
him with menacing and disorderly conduct. Baker was arraigned and committed
to the Orange County Jail in lieu of $2,500 cash bail.
