Canandaigua man shot by police after pointing airsoft gun at officer

by: Christian Garzone, Gio Battaglia, George Gandy

Posted: May 1, 2023 / 03:48 PM EDT

Updated: May 3, 2023 / 01:05 PM EDT

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — A Canandaigua man was shot by police after he pointed an airsoft gun at an officer, according to the New York State Police Department.

Canandaigua police say they received reports just after 1:30 p.m. for a suspicious person at the nearby Sunoco or 7/11 at 484 South Main Street.

Officers say when they arrived on the scene, they found 34-year-old Thomas D. Johnson, who displayed what appeared to be a firearm.

NYSP said that Johnson was instructed to show them his hands. After he ignored the commands, officers discharged their tasers, but they were ineffective.

Officers said that Johnson turned around and pointed the object that appeared to be a gun at an officer. An officer then fired his gun and shot Johnson.

Johnson is currently being treated at Strong Memorial Hospital and is listed in stable condition, according to NYSP.

According to troopers, the object that Johnson had was actually an Airsoft pistol. He was charged with second-degree menacing. He is due in court on May 17, 2023.

“The subject ignored the officer’s commands. Officers then discharged their taser,” Canandaigua Police Chief Mathew Nielsen said. “As the subject was attempting to flee the scene he pointed the firearm at the officers — Canandaigua PD discharged their firearms striking the subject. He was rendered aide at the scene and was airlifted to Strong Memorial Hospital.”

This is now the second officer-involved shooting here just a couple of months apart. In March, a Pennsylvania man, 31-year-old Brandon Zurkan, was shot dead after leading police on a chase and then pointing a gun at them. Fariha Thier and her husband run the gas station across the street. They’ve been here for 20 years and something’s just been ‘off’ the past number of months.

“But now, working late nights, we don’t feel that safe,” she said.

After these two shootings… no more closing at midnight. “We close at 10:30, (we’re trying to) be safe,” said Thier.

Cathy Popple has lived in the city for 40 years. She calls these shootings ‘an oddity’ and isn’t concerned.

“It’s probably the only two times it’s happened,” she said.