Skip to main content

Manhunt under way for Park Avenue burglar

By Billie Owens

A manhunt is under way in the city for a black male suspect in a burglary which took place on Park Avenue about a half hour ago. Several police units are scouring that area.

A second suspect, also a black male, is now custody. He was carrying a handgun.

The perimeter of the manhunt is approximately Park Avenue on the north, Washington Avenue on the south, and Lincoln Avenue and Lewis Avenue.

UPDATE 12:16 p.m.: Police say the suspect at large may have just gone through yards on Ellicott Avenue.

UPDATE 12:21 p.m.: The suspect has been apprended on Ellicott Avenue. He is described as a light-skinned black male wearing black jeans and a black hoodie. The State Police helicopter and the new K-9 were used in the search and are now back in service.

UPDATE 12:57 p.m. (by Howard): Photos added. As you can see, the suspect is wearing a red hoodie, not black. That's often the nature of hasty eyewitness accounts. Batavia PD plans on releasing more information on the case later this afternoon.

UPDATE 1:14 p.m.: The 22-year-old subject of the manhunt is being taken to UMMC "in handcuffs and shackled" after complaining of right knee and ankle pain.

Park Avenue during the search.

Lori Silvernail

I heard a helicopter circling over and over, and stepped onto my porch to see if it was a Mercy Flight copter unable to land at the hospital. I saw that it wasn't them so I suspected a possible manhunt. Thanks for letting us know so quickly what it was all about. The second suspect was apprehended only 3 streets away. Kinda creepy!

Jan 14, 2014, 12:47pm Permalink
scott williams

Got the dirtbags and a gun off the street maybe its the same ones who held up the pizza delivery person last week. Please give them the max for the gun charge if he possessed it illegally. They give the law abiding gun owners a bad name.

Jan 14, 2014, 1:12pm Permalink
Mardell Lamb

There's a BIG difference between a black hoodie and a red one. I listened to this unfold on the scanner today; and over and over the description was a BLACK hoodie. They could have been looking for a RED one instead. But thankfully he was found and apprehended.

Kudos to all the police officers! Makes your heart pump for sure. Excellent job! Troopers, BPD, and the Sheriff's dept. all working together.

Jan 14, 2014, 2:53pm Permalink
Mardell Lamb

Perhaps the red hoodie was in his back pocket for a quick change (while running through back yards and jumping fences etc.) Gotta be prepared. What a good "Boy Scout."

Jan 14, 2014, 4:43pm Permalink
Mardell Lamb

You are certainly correct, Mr. Neal.

Just a sad shame what kids are doing these days. It really is... sorry I put the name "Boy Scouts" in there. Never meant to offend anyone.

Jan 14, 2014, 7:38pm Permalink
Mardell Lamb

D'oh. Been up since 4 a.m. When someone calls me "Mrs. Lamb", I automatically think I'm in "trouble." Ha.

BTW, Thank you for the awesome reporting today. You and Billie.

Jan 14, 2014, 9:12pm Permalink
Lorie Cook

I wondered why a state police car was driving slowly through the area. I had a similar incident at my home a block away from this. I was at a friends house when I got a call. But the jerk attempted to burglarize my home at noon on new years day. Lots of damage was done to my home. It makes you want to abandon your home.

Jan 14, 2014, 11:27pm Permalink
Mike Kelly

@Scott; an 18 year old with a handgun in NYS is illegal.

When I obtained my permit in the early 60's, any compromise of the Sullivan Law was an automatic 7 years. 16 year old kids in Buffalo today usually receive 3 years. Seems like you receive less time if you are illegal.

Jan 15, 2014, 12:21am Permalink

Authentically Local