Crime
Schenectady Police Arrest Suspect in Fatal Hit-and-Run of 8-Year-Old Child
Schenectady, NY – Authorities have arrested a suspect in connection with a fatal hit-and-run that claimed the life of an 8-year-old boy on Wednesday evening, March 19, 2025.
At approximately 7:38 p.m., officers from the Schenectady Police Department responded to a report of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle at the intersection of Chrisler Avenue and Crane Street.
Upon arrival, officers found the young victim, identified as Zion, unresponsive at the scene.
Emergency responders transported him to Ellis Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
The driver of the striking vehicle fled the scene before officers arrived. Law enforcement immediately launched a search, locating the vehicle a short time later in the Woodlawn area of Schenectady.
The driver was taken into custody and transported to Schenectady Police Department Headquarters for questioning.
The suspect has been identified as 29-year-old Conroy A. Simpson, a resident of Queens, New York.
Following the investigation, Simpson was formally charged with:
- Leaving the Scene of an Accident Resulting in Death – Class D Felony
- Operating a Motor Vehicle Without Insurance – VTL Violation
The Schenectady County Sheriff’s Office is assisting in the ongoing investigation. Authorities have not disclosed further details regarding the circumstances of the incident.
Due to the victim’s age, law enforcement has opted not to release his full name at this time.
Anyone with information regarding the case is urged to contact the Schenectady Police Tips Line at 518-788-6566.
Authorities will provide additional updates as the investigation progresses.
Authorities have confirmed that the deadly shooting at Brown University occurred inside a first-floor classroom within the Barus and Holley Engineering Building. Investigators believe all 11 victims were students.
Two individuals were pronounced dead, while the remaining victims were transported to area hospitals.
One additional victim was later confirmed to have sustained injuries from bullet fragments and is expected to make a full recovery.
According to Providence Police, the suspect fled the building immediately after the shooting, exiting onto Hope Street and then moving toward the Waterman Street area.
More than six hours after the incident, the suspect remains at large.
Officials stated that there is no interior surveillance footage of the shooter inside the Barus and Holley building.
Authorities have also been unable to determine how the suspect initially entered the building or precisely where he went after fleeing the scene.
Police described the suspect as a male, possibly in his 30s, dressed in black.
Investigators are also reviewing video evidence that may show the suspect wearing a camouflage-style face covering, though that detail has not yet been fully confirmed.
The incident unfolded shortly after 4:20 p.m., when Brown University issued an emergency alert warning of an active shooter near the Barus and Holley Engineering Building.
Students, faculty, staff, and nearby residents were instructed to shelter in place, lock doors, silence mobile devices, and remain hidden.
The alert emphasized standard emergency guidance: evacuate only if it was safe to do so, hide if evacuation was not possible, and take defensive action only as a last resort.
At approximately 5:27 p.m., the university issued a follow-up alert reporting additional shots fired near Governor Street, about two blocks from the original scene.
Minutes later, the Providence Police Department confirmed that multiple people had been shot in the area surrounding the campus.
During an evening news conference, Providence Deputy Police Chief Tim O’Hara said investigators believe a firearm was used in the attack, though no weapon has been recovered and the type of firearm remains unknown.
Police confirmed there was no direct interaction between officers and the suspect, who fled on foot before law enforcement arrived.
Authorities also addressed reports of a separate police confrontation involving gunfire several blocks away.
Officials clarified that while that incident initially led to reports of a suspect being detained, investigators have not established a confirmed connection between that encounter and the Brown University shooting.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley confirmed that no suspect is currently in custody and emphasized that Brown University officials, the Providence Police Department, and the FBI are working in close coordination to locate the individual responsible.
The Barus and Holley Engineering Building, constructed in 1965, houses classrooms, laboratories, offices, and lecture halls for the university’s engineering and physics departments and was occupied at the time due to scheduled exams.
As of the latest update, the shelter-in-place order remains in effect.
Authorities continue to urge the public to avoid the area while the investigation remains ongoing.
Officials have not released identifying information about the victims, citing respect for the families and the active nature of the investigation.