On May 12, 2026, the Village of Liberty Police Department responded to a report of a male pointing a handgun at houses. Within two minutes, officers located a subject matching the description. Utilizing de-escalation techniques and tactics, officers safely took the male into custody without incident.
The handgun was determined to be an imitation, realistic-style BB gun. Officers further determined that the male had pointed the gun at a person.
As a result of the location of the report, a residential street near the Liberty Elementary School, the school was briefly placed into a "lock out procedure" by the school resource officer. At no time were any students or staff in danger.
The subject was identified as David Castro, age 20, of Liberty. He was charged with:
Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 3rd Degree (Class D Felony)
Menacing in the 2nd Degree (Class A Misdemeanor)
Castro was arraigned in the Town of Liberty Court and remanded to the Sullivan County Jail in lieu of $20,000 cash bail, $60,000 bond, or $100,000 partially secured bond.
The Village of Liberty Police Department thanks the public for promptly reporting suspicious activity. A quick call led to officers locating the subject and taking him into custody in less than two minutes. The department reminds residents that imitation firearms can easily be mistaken for real weapons, creating dangerous situations for both the public and law enforcement.
Criminal charges are merely allegations that a defendant has committed violations of the criminal law, and as such they are not evidence of guilt. All defendants have a presumption of innocence and are entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the burden of the State of New York to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
.JPG)
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