Police: Mid­dletown Man Shot by Officers Told Police He Wanted to Die

MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. -- Officials have released more information about the police-involved shooting that happened in Middletown Wednesday night.

When they got to Overlook Drive around 7 p.m., state police say 53-year-old Richard Dinneny came outside with a weapon in his hand.

“I was sitting on my couch and I heard boom, boom, boom, and I jumped off the couch,” said Linda Reed, who lives in the apartment complex.

What Reed heard was the aftermath of a confrontation between Middletown police officers and Dinneny. Police say Dinneny refused to drop what appeared to be a semi-automatic pistol following several orders from two officers. That's when they opened fire.

"The Middletown police officers on the scene discharged their weapons, striking Mr. Dinneny," said New York State Police Troop F Commander Major Joseph Tripodo.

The pistol was later found to be a pellet gun. Police say officers attempted CPR until Dinneny was brought to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Before the confrontation, police say Dinneny made a 911 call, threatening officers over the phone.

"[In] the phone call that he made to the City of Middletown Police Department, he stated that essentially he wanted to die, that he had a gun and that he was going to shoot any police officers that came,” Tripodo said.

Police say he also threatened to kill his girlfriend, who had an order of protection against him.

The two officers that fired their weapons have been put on paid administrative leave as the investigation continues. But Middletown Police Chief Ramon Bethencourt says he stands by their actions.

"With the information that I have right now, it is congruent with their training and their training provided to them by the department and also consistent with the law,” Bethencourt said.

Under county protocol, the Orange County District Attorney's office is leading the investigation with the assistance of state police. The DA's office and state police will handle the criminal investigation, while the Middletown Police Department conducts the internal administrative review.

“No information between those agencies in those two investigations will be shared or crossed,” said Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler.

Hoovler says everything will be shared once the investigation is complete. Ultimately, it'll be up to a grand jury to decide if the officers are charged with any wrongdoing in this case.