Glock 19 Pistol
| OFF-DUTY N.Y.P.D. DETECTIVE FOUND GUILTY OF POINTING SERVICE WEAPON AT TEENS, THREATENING TO KILL THEM |
| The defendant brandished a loaded gun, his service weapon, as part of a road rage incident targeting three area teens |
| Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace announced today that New York City Police Department Detective John O’Connell has been convicted of 12 charges in relation to a 2025 road rage incident where he pointed a loaded gun at a group of teenagers and threatened to kill them. O’Connell, 37, of Patterson, N.Y., was convicted by Somers Town Justice Michael J. McDermott in a non-jury trial Tuesday of three counts each of Menacing in the Second Degree, a class A misdemeanor, Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a class A misdemeanor, Menacing in the Third Degree, a class B misdemeanor, and Harassment in the Second Degree, a violation. DA Cacace said: “The defendant’s lethal threats against three of our community’s children have left scars that will stay with them for years. No criminal conviction can erase the enduring trauma of a loaded firearm that is pointed in your direction. However, I do hope this verdict provides the victims and their parents with a sense of closure. There is simply no excuse for escalating a traffic dispute into criminal harassment, especially when the perpetrator is responsible for utilizing de-escalation techniques within his law enforcement service.” On Aug. 28, 2025, at approximately 8:30 p.m., three 16-year-old Westchester and Putnam residents were traveling east on Rte. 6 in the Town of Somers when they came to a sudden halt due to changing traffic patterns. O’Connell, operating a 2024 Honda that he had been driving behind the teens, was also forced to brake suddenly. O’Connell then drove across the double yellow lines into oncoming traffic and pulled up alongside the teens, rolling down his passenger-side window. He yelled at them, “I have a gun” and “I’m going to fucking kill you” while pointing a loaded Glock 19 pistol, his service weapon, at each of the teens. The defendant continued to drive in an aggressive manner toward the teens before they were able to break off and call the police. The case was investigated by the New York State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Edward Barrett and Marina Fedak of the Northern Westchester Branch. |
