NEWFIELD, N.Y.—One man was injured in a shooting last week in Newfield, resulting in the arrest of two men after a dispute that apparently lasted several weeks.
Billy Ray Ward, 36 years old of Newfield, was charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, reckless endangerment, eavesdropping and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. The first three charges are felonies. Daniel Swansbrough Jr., 40 years old, was charged with first-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, second-degree assault and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. The first two charges for Swansbrough are felonies.
According to the New York State Police, Swansbrough and Ward were “engaged in an altercation on June 20,” which led to Ward firing an illegal shotgun “in the direction of Swansbrough and another adult male.” Police said they responded when someone reported being shot, though they did not specify whether Swansbrough or the other man was the victim of Ward’s shooting — or what the condition of the victim is.
Police detailed an additional backstory, that Ward had installed an app on Swansbrough’s phone to monitor his phone calls without permission, while it was also determined that Swansbrough had “struck another victim multiple times with a speaker, causing an injury” during an incident that took place in May.
Both were arraigned in Tompkins County Court.