Crime
22-year-old Juan Rodriguez killed in shooting on Syracuse East Side
Syracuse, N.Y. — Police have identified the victim of a fatal shooting that occurred Sunday evening on Syracuse’s East Side as 22-year-old Juan J. Rodriguez, a city resident, authorities announced Wednesday.
According to Syracuse Police Department spokesperson Kieran Coffey, officers responded to the 200 block of Westmoreland Avenue near the Parkside Commons apartments around 6:10 p.m. on June 1, following reports of a shooting.
Upon arrival, officers located Rodriguez suffering from a gunshot wound.
He was transported to Upstate University Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Rodriguez’s death marked the most serious in a series of four separate shootings reported across the city on Sunday, underscoring a day of heightened violence in Syracuse.
The incidents were reported as follows:
- 3:45 a.m. — A man in his 30s was found with a gunshot wound to the leg near Erie Boulevard West and Geddes Street. The exact location where the shooting occurred remains under investigation.
- 1:00 p.m. — A 20-year-old man sustained a gunshot wound to the back in the 600 block of Onondaga Avenue, in the area of Lower Onondaga Park.
- 5:45 p.m. — An 18-year-old man was shot in the lower back on the 500 block of Park Street.
- 6:10 p.m. — Juan J. Rodriguez, 22, was fatally shot on Westmoreland Avenue.
At this time, police have not indicated whether the shootings are connected. No arrests have been announced in relation to any of the incidents.
The investigations remain ongoing.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Syracuse Police Department or submit tips anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
AUSTIN, Texas — A man was taken into custody Saturday afternoon following a shooting inside the Austin Central Library that left one person seriously injured and prompted a large emergency response and temporary shelter-in-place order in the downtown area.
According to the Austin Police Department (APD), officers responded shortly after 12:00 p.m. to reports of gunfire inside the Austin Central Library, located at 710 W. César Chávez Street.
Upon arrival, police and Austin-Travis County EMS units found one victim suffering from a gunshot wound.
The individual was transported to a local hospital in serious but stable condition.
Assistant Police Chief Lee Rogers stated during a press briefing that the shooter fled the scene before officers arrived.
After an extensive search, the suspect—identified as 55-year-old Harold Newton Keene—was located and arrested in South Austin at approximately 1:25 p.m.
The library was safely evacuated, and the shelter-in-place alert was lifted shortly after Keene’s apprehension.
Authorities emphasized that the shooting appeared to be an isolated incident involving only one suspect and one victim.
“This was not an active shooter situation,” Rogers confirmed.
Preliminary reports and public records reveal that Harold Newton Keene has a lengthy criminal history, including multiple arrests for assault, family violence, terroristic threats, burglary, drug possession, and evading arrest.
He is described by law enforcement officials as a habitual violent offender who has had numerous prior run-ins with police.
Records indicate Keene was previously arrested for threatening a man with a firearm several months ago and, in a separate incident, assaulted another inmate while in custody at the Travis County Jail.
In both cases, prosecutors later declined to pursue charges.
Authorities have not yet released a possible motive for the shooting or confirmed whether the suspect and victim knew each other.
The Austin Police Department’s Major Crimes Division is leading the investigation.
Anyone with information related to the incident is urged to contact the Austin Police Department or Crime Stoppers at 512-472-TIPS.