New York ‘random’ shooting probe near Marist family event turns up ‘bomb-making’ manuals at Marriott hotel

New York police responding to reports of a man shot at a hotel during a nearby college’s “Family Weekend” discovered bomb-making “manuals” and materials that could be combined to create explosives, authorities recently announced.  

One man died, and two suspects were taken into custody after a shooting at a Poughkeepsie, New York, hotel early Sunday morning, authorities said. The fatally wounded victim was later revealed to have been the father of a student who attends nearby Marist College, which was in the midst of its “Family Weekend” at the time.

Devin Taylor and Roy Johnson Jr. were arrested at the hotel, Town of Poughkeepsie Police Chief Joseph Cavaliere told reporters during a Monday press conference. Johnson was charged with second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon, and was ordered held without bond. Taylor was charged with two counts of criminal possession of a weapon and was ordered held on $500,000 cash bail or $1 million bond, Cavaliere said. 

“The suspect did not know the victim,” Cavaliere went on. “This, we believe, was a random act.” 

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Police have not released any additional information regarding the victim, citing a request from his family. 

Poughkeepsie is located about 80 miles from New York City, and is also home to Vassar College and nearby Dutchess Community College. The death and disturbing discoveries come at a time when relatives are visiting their loved ones’ campuses for similar weekend reunions. 

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Officers with the Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department were called to a Courtyard Marriott on South Road near Evergreen Avenue in Poughkeepsie around 7:30 a.m. Sunday for a report of a “disturbance” that involved shots being fired, the agency wrote in a post on Facebook. 

Police arrived and discovered the wounded victim inside the hotel. He was rushed to an area hospital, but could not be saved. 

Local news station NBC 4 New York cited a “source” in reporting that the suspects were allegedly smoking a “PCP-like substance” in a hotel room when the gunman went to the lobby for coffee. The gunman then allegedly began arguing with people in the lobby, at which time the suspect opened fire on the victim, the outlet reported.

Investigators determined shots were fired both inside and outside the hotel, which is located just over four miles from Marist College. 

A search of the building revealed “manuals related to the making of explosive devices, as well as materials with the potential to be used as explosives” in a hotel room, police said. 

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Cavaliere said Monday the gunman, Johnson, intended to shoot the victim, but added that there were “no ties” between the victim and the gunman. Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro said the community extended its condolences to the victim’s family. 

“Innocent individuals convening in the lobby of a hotel, going about their business, were tragically impacted, and one life horrifically taken,” Molinaro told reporters. 

A spokesperson for Marist College told Fox News Digital the school remains in contact with local law enforcement and will “keep our community informed with any updates.”

“Our deepest condolences go out to the family, and we are offering the full support of the Marist community,” the spokesperson wrote in a statement.