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.
Crime
Eric Bechtolt Killed After Shooting at Florence Tower in Omaha, Suspect Billy Dorrall Arrested
Omaha, NE – On Sunday evening, Omaha Police Department officers responded to an active shooting at Florence Tower, located at 5100 Florence Blvd, following multiple 911 calls reporting gunfire inside the building.
The first reports were received at 6:05 p.m., with at least three separate callers stating they had heard shots fired on the fifth or sixth floor of the apartment complex.
By 6:14 p.m., a fourth caller reported seeing a male suspect walking on the sixth floor carrying two handguns.
Uniform Patrol officers arrived on scene at 6:11 p.m. and began a floor-by-floor search of the building, starting from the fifth floor.
As officers ascended the south stairwell toward the sixth floor, they heard sounds of a disturbance.
Just as they neared the sixth-floor door, it was abruptly opened by a male suspect — later identified as 50-year-old Billy A. Dorrall.
At that moment, one officer discharged their service weapon, striking Dorrall in the left hip.
In response, Dorrall fired back down the stairwell and then retreated into the sixth-floor hallway.
Once back in the hallway, Dorrall reportedly fired multiple rounds, aiming both up and down the corridor, and threatened several residents at gunpoint.
A coordinated arrest team, equipped with a ballistic shield, moved into position while officers in the stairwell maintained containment. As they prepared to enter the hallway, officers heard additional gunfire.
The arrest team entered the hallway, issued loud verbal commands, and Dorrall surrendered without further incident.
He was immediately provided medical treatment by Omaha Fire Department personnel and transported to Nebraska Medicine, where he was treated for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. He has since been released into police custody.
During the investigation, officers recovered surveillance footage from building cameras, which was provided by the Omaha Housing Authority.
The footage shows Dorrall behaving erratically and confronting residents before engaging in a verbal altercation with another tenant, identified as 45-year-old Eric M. Bechtolt.
The video shows Dorrall returning to his apartment, retrieving a firearm, and shooting Bechtolt multiple times in the hallway. Responding officers later found Bechtolt deceased outside the stairwell door.
Dorrall was interviewed by detectives and provided a full confession, admitting to the murder of Bechtolt.
He also expressed an intent to kill additional residents and responding officers had he not been stopped.
Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer issued a statement commending the officers involved:
“I want to commend the officers who responded to this incredibly dangerous situation. Their training, courage, and swift response undoubtedly prevented further loss of life. What unfolded at Florence Tower was tragic, and our thoughts and condolences are with the family and loved ones of Mr. Bechtolt. Our officers acted heroically under extreme pressure, and I am proud of their commitment to protecting the residents of Omaha.”
The department has released still images from surveillance footage, showing Dorrall armed with two handguns, along with crime scene photographs of the weapons, ammunition, and spent shell casings recovered from the scene.
The investigation remains ongoing.