Saratoga County District Attorney Karen A. Heggen announced today that Justin P. Wagner (DOB 07/03/1999) pled guilty before the Acting Saratoga County Court Judge Lorraine C. Diamond to Assault in the First Degree, a Class “B” Violent Felony in violation of New York State Penal Law Section 120.10(1), in connection with a January 4, 2025 shooting in the Town of Halfmoon.
The Defendant admitted under oath that on the morning of January 4, 2025 he fired numerous rounds from an AR15 rifle at another man, striking him in both the hand and lower leg. The Defendant had driven to Halfmoon that morning to confront the victim over a personal dispute and fired an illegal AR15 that he had built within his Schenectady apartment.
Members of the Saratoga County Sherriff’s Office arrived almost immediately to the scene of the shooting and applied two (2) life-saving tourniquets to the injured man who was rushed to Albany Medical Center. The Defendant fled the scene of the shooting but was soon taken into custody without incident by law enforcement who located the firearm inside his work van.
“Thanks to the members of the Saratoga County Sherriff’s Office and their quick response and calm under pressure they were able to save the victim’s leg as well as take both the Defendant and illegal firearm into custody within just a few minutes of the shooting,” said D.A. Heggen. “This is another unfortunate example of a young person with an illegal firearm nearly killing someone else over a personal dispute.”
The twenty-five (25) year-old Defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on July 15, 2025 to sixteen (16) years incarceration in a state correctional facility, to be followed by two-and-a-half (2.5) years of post-release supervision. The Court will also issue full stay away Orders of Protection for the maximum period of time in favor of the victims.
The case was prosecuted by General Felony Unit Bureau Chief Joseph Frandino, Assistant District Attorney Alycia DeMilio, and Assistant District Attorney Karen Zenilman together with the assistance of District Attorney Investigators Michael Wells and Michael Hourigan.