“I feel for the families. It’s going to be a tough trial, I’m sure,” West said, adding that the shooting was an isolated and senseless tragedy.
It’s unclear what, if any, policy implications the shooting will have on politics in the college town. Town Board members plan to discuss mandatory armed security for bars during their meeting this Thursday, April 24. Such a move might be resisted by tavern owners.
And it’s also likely that a move to push for earlier bar closing times will occur too.
Previously, Zimet has been in favor of a 1 a.m. or 2 a.m. closing time for New Paltz taverns. She said that following Easter’s shooting, she does not plan to push for that herself — but she could understand if others did.
“That’s a community discussion,” she said. “If the people in this community want to see an earlier closing, they need to take matters in their own hands. They need to start a petition and they need to start putting pressure on the Ulster County Legislature — which is where the decision gets made.”
Countywide bar closing time is set at 4 a.m., but it could potentially be changed.
On the other side of the aisle, West didn’t think policy alone could stop a murder. He was wary of “grandstanding” and panic following the shooting.
He pointed to New Paltz’s relatively low instances of murder per capita in its history. That’s part of why this murder — any murder — in the college town is perennially shocking.
“We’re a small, relatively safe, quiet community, but that doesn’t mean crime doesn’t happen here,” the mayor said. “This incident was a tragic, isolated crime.”
Police Chief Snyder said he believes Easter’s homicide is the first time someone got killed in a Main Street bar.
“We have had shootings in parking lots and outside of bars. We have had many assaults in bars over the years with knives, bottles and razor blades,” he said. “This is the first I can recall an actual shooting in a bar.”
In the wake of the shooting, on social media and in person, people have breathed life into the fear that New Paltz might no longer be safe.
While he urged people to keep their wits and to avoid drunken or crowded situations that seem threatening, Mayor West doesn’t buy into that fear.
“I can’t stress enough — New Paltz is just as safe, and the bars are just as safe tonight as they were last Friday when no one got hurt,” he said.
Morgan Young, the Irish exchange student, said he didn’t think the shooting will stop him from heading out to the bar.
“Of course we feel terrible for the victims,” he said. “But I really feel badly for the Verney family. We’re friends with them and their staff. They’re wonderful people and have been so welcoming to us.
“Murphy’s is the last place I would imagine something like this would happen. I plan to go back just to show my support for them. No one could have predicted this.”
The police chief also expressed his condolences.
“This is a tragic event,” Snyder added. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families affected by this terrible act.”
Despite the arrest, police ask anyone with additional information regarding this incident to contact the New Paltz Police Detective Division at (845) 255-1323. All information will be kept confidential.
The New Paltz Police Department is being assisted by the New York State Police, the Town of Lloyd Police Department, the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office, the SUNY New Paltz Police Department, the New Paltz Fire Department and the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office.
The usual suspects, no surprises here.