Utica Cops Arrest Teen Possibly Linked To Monday’s Homicide

Utica Police are releasing details of the arrest of a teen who may have been involved in or have information about Monday night's murder on Seymour Ave.

Officers who were near the shooting scene on an unrelated call heard the gunfire Monday night and drove to toward the sound of the gun shots, police said. While at Square Street and Seymour Ave, officers spotted a light green minivan and observed the vehicle was moving erratically, police said.

"...As the officer drove closer to the vehicle, the operator appeared to begin to turn one way and immediately turned the other without signaling. Based on the proximity to the shots fired, the driver’s actions, and the NYSV&TL the officer attempted to conduct a vehicle stop," UPD said on Facebook.

When police turned their blue and red lights on, officer's reported the vehicle sped off. Ultimately, the occupants, three males, exited the minivan and ran in different directions. An officer was able to apprehend one of the three after he jumped over a fence into a backyard. The officer took that suspect into custody without further incident, and reported finding a 9mm handgun next the fence the suspect had just hopped.

Police have now charged that individual, 19-year-old Abdukadir Ali, with criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a firearm.

It is unclear at this time if the weapon found was involved in Monday night's homicide incident. Police are still investigating.

The shooting on Seymour Ave resulted in the death of 25-year-old William Morris of Utica. A second person who was also shot in the incident remains hospitalized with serious injuries, police said.

[AUTHOR'S NOTE: This post is for informational purposes only. Any charges or accusations of wrongdoing mentioned in the article are only allegations and the reader is reminded that all persons are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.]