Armonk Man Indicted for Trying to Kill North Castle Police Officer
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A Westchester County grand jury indicted an Armonk man Tuesday for attempting to kill a North Castle police sergeant while first responders were responding to a medical emergency in May.
Joseph Spennato, 38, was arraigned in front of Westchester County Court Judge Anne Minihan on the felony charges of attempted aggravated murder and attempted aggravated assault upon a police officer. He also faces the misdemeanor charge of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
“We are seeking to hold this defendant accountable for his alleged attempt to kill a police sergeant who was simply trying to do his job,” Westchester County District Attorney Mimi Rocah said in a statement. “We are grateful that the officer was not seriously injured or killed during this unprovoked attack.”
On May 20 at 12:26 p.m., Sgt. William McClure and Officer Chris Costa responded to a home at 14 Hallock Place in Armonk to assist a 78-year-old woman who needed medical care, according to the criminal complaint released by the district attorney’s office. After they arrived at the scene, the officers learned that Spennato, who was at the scene, was wanted on two bench warrants in North Castle Town Court for bail jumping, a spokesperson for the district attorney said.
When the officers attempted to arrest Spennato, who may have lived at the house, the suspect allegedly used a knife to stab McClure in the back multiple times but struck the sergeant’s bulletproof vest, law enforcement authorities said. Costa then took out his firearm and fired two shots, striking Spennato with both shots, the felony complaint stated.
The district attorney’s office said the suspect and both officers were transported to local hospitals. McClure and Costa were not injured. Spennato was arrested on May 28 while still in the hospital recovering from his wounds.
Bodycams worn by the officers captured the incident. On Tuesday, the district attorney’s office released the indictment, which included some of the dialogue by Spennato from the bodycam footage
The defendant remains incarcerated in Westchester County Jail pending his next court date on Aug. 6.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/
