ALEX BUCKNAM
Managing Editor
Photo by MITCH HORUCY| Sports Editor
In the past month, Fredonia and Dunkirk have experienced three shelter-in-place orders.
The most recent was on Wednesday, April 8, when Fredonia Police issued a shelter-in-place for residents of White Street due to police activity.
The shelter-in-place went into effect around 3 p.m., even though Fredonia Mayor Michael Ferguson stated that police activity started early Wednesday morning.
Residents of White Street have said that activity began even earlier than that.
At least one resident recalled police activity beginning around 12:00 a.m., raising concerns about communication timelines.
During that time, residents, community members, students and staff were confused about what was going on.
Unlike the previous shelter-in-place orders by the Dunkirk Police Department, community Facebook groups had very little updates.
The only information they had was that a situation was going on, which added to public uncertainty.
White Street was filled with Fredonia, Dunkirk, state campus and SWAT police cars, with reports saying that police were carrying assault rifles.
Police cars were blocking all street entrances, but reports state that people could still walk on the sidewalk, creating a mixed sense of restriction and access.
Mitch Horucy, a resident of White Street, said that police with assault rifles knocked on his door and told him to stay inside and lock his doors two different times.
“They came knocking on my door and told me to stay inside and lock my door,” he said. “I thought this would be a multiple-day thing.”
The shelter-in-place was lifted early Wednesday evening, with a suspect in custody.
The suspect was later identified as Kyle L. Denhardt.
On Friday night, the Fredonia Police Department reported that Denhardt was unwanted and refused to leave the residence.
Denhardt was also believed to have a handgun at the time.
Fredonia police tried to communicate with Denhardt, who eventually barricaded himself in the residence.
The police department obtained a search warrant and entered the house.
They discovered a large number of guns including what is referred to as a “ghost-gun,” high-capacity magazines, ammunition and rifle parts.
Denhardt is charged with second-degree menacing, second-degree criminal trespassing, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon for possessing a ghost gun and five counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon for unfinished frames.
Denhardt was taken to Chautauqua County jail for centralized arraignment, and his bail was set at $400,000.
This comes after a March 24 incident in which Christopher Marcinkowski shot a police officer, who was wearing a bulletproof vest, during a drug raid on Franklin Avenue in Dunkirk.
A shelter in place was issued for that area, and a standoff occurred.
It also comes after an incident in Fredonia on March 7, where a townwide shelter-in-place order was issued after Jahmaul Johnson led police on a high-speed chase, later ditching his car and going on foot.
After the incident on White Street last week, Fredonia police put out a statement thanking all agencies and departments involved.
They said they will put out a statement of what happened during the incident after investigations.
No further arrest details have been made public at this time.
Under New York State law, arrests are public information, but under the New York Freedom of Information Law (FOIL), police departments can temporarily withhold records if it could interfere with law enforcement investigations.
The Leader will provide updates as more information becomes available.
Mitch Horucy, mentioned in this story, is the Sports Editor of The Leader.