Former Student Poses With Fake Rifle At Hauppauge HS, Causing Lockdown: Police
A former student sparked a lockdown at a Long Island high school after taking a selfie with an imitation rifle outside the building, Suffolk County police announced on Tuesday, June 17, 2025.
Ericka Rodriguez, 18, of Hauppauge, stood in front of her alma mater, Hauppauge High School at 437 Lincoln Boulevard, and posed for a selfie holding what turned out to be a spring-loaded imitation rifle around 11:20 a.m., police said.
School officials initiated a lockdown after the incident, but no one was injured, according to the release.
Rodriguez was arrested and charged with:
Unlawful Possessio…
Melville Exec Stole $1.6M To Fund Lavish Wedding, Failed Restaurant, DOJ Says
A former Long Island credit supervisor is accused of stealing over $1 million from customer refund accounts to pay for his wedding, luxury travel, and launch a failed restaurant venture, prosecutors said.
Tony Ream, 33, of Greenville, South Carolina, was arraigned on wire fraud and money laundering charges in Central Islip federal court on Friday, May 30.
During his time as a credit supervisor for a Melville-based medical and dental supply company, Ream used his position to secretly divert corporate funds into a personal bank account he controlled, prosecutors alleged.
As supervisor, he ha…
Woman Stabbed Ex To Death Outside Bay Shore Train Station, DA Says
A woman was captured on surveillance video stabbing her ex-boyfriend to death outside a Long Island train station, prosecutors said.
Nikeya Barker, 44, of Bay Shore, was arraigned on murder charges in Suffolk County Court on Monday, May 19, in the killing of 47-year-old Shurvell Rush, of Central Islip.
The fatal stabbing happened around 6:45 p.m. on Saturday, May 3, when Suffolk County Police responded to Railroad Plaza and found Rush with a stab wound to the chest. He was taken to South Shore University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, as Daily Voice reported.
Surveillance video fr…
Pit Bull Rescued, 5 Kids Found Living In Squalor At Central Islip Home, Police Say
A Long Island man is facing criminal charges after authorities discovered a pit bull living in filth—and five young children in similarly disturbing conditions, police said.
Steven Bartolomey, 37, of Central Islip, was arrested Thursday, May 8, on suspicion of animal cruelty, neglect, and child endangerment, officials said.
Bartolomey was charged with multiple misdemeanors after officers found a one-year-old male pit bull named Snoopy trapped in a urine-soaked cage amid garbage, feces, and debris, with no access to food or water, police said. The dog has since been surrendered to Almost Hom…
E-Bike Rider, 20, Killed In Late-Night Hit-And-Run In Commack: Suffolk Police
A 20-year-old man riding an e-bike was killed in a hit-and-run crash on Long Island, police announced on Saturday, May 3.
Aryan Saini, of Central Islip, was riding east on Hauppauge Road in Commack when he was struck from behind by a white SUV also heading east near 68 Hauppauge Road, Suffolk County Police said.
The crash happened around 11:57 p.m. on Friday, May 2. The SUV’s driver did not stop and fled the scene without rendering aid, according to authorities.
Saini was rushed to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival, pol…
Road Rage Gun Threat In Kings Park Lands Smithtown Man Arrest: Suffolk County Police
A Long Island man is accused of pulling a gun on another driver during a road rage blowup, Suffolk County Police said on Thursday, May 1.
Christopher Tartaglia, 57, was behind the wheel of a BMW X5 on Cortez Drive when he began tailgating a vehicle near Indian Head Road around 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 30, according to police.
The other driver pulled over to let him pass—but instead, Tartaglia stopped, pointed a handgun at him, and threatened him before driving off, investigators said.
The victim called 911, and police arrested Tartaglia shortly after at his home on Neil Drive in Smithtow…
