STORM2K

Watertown, Adams, and a large part of the county are on a virtual lockdown tonight after a Watertown police officer broke into a building, shot a man multiple times, and apparantly abducted a female. The officer is nowhere to be found, and a massive manhunt is underway all across the area. Two police helicopters are searching from the air, and numerous checkpoints have been set up all across the area with cars being stopped at gunpoint by Watertown Police Officers, Jefferson County Sheriffs Deputies, and State Troopers.

Adams is under virtual siege by law enforcement-

Do you live right in the middle of that area nystate? Hoping and praying everything gets sorted out soonest!

Any info on how the man is doing? Stay safe up there...

Any more news on the situation? Hope you are safe up there.

As of 10:30 pm, the officer is still at large. Police choppers are still overhead and the area is crawling with law enforcement. After looking at his picture it came to my attention that I had seen him before, but never really talked to him.

The man he shot is currently in critical condition. Speculation is that he (the shooter) may try to end his life, but I hope that is not the case. Even though he has done an incredible wrong, he is only 26 and he still has a lot of life ahead of him.

More updates as I get them...

He turned himself in.

Watertown Officer Turns Himself In


A Watertown police officer accused of shooting another man, abducting a woman, and going on the run has turned himself into police. Authorities searched Jefferson County all day Wednesday for Officer Michael Van Waldick, but now the search is over.

Police say Van Waldick, 26, entered an apartment in the city around 1 a.m Wednesday morning and shot the man who lived there, Ryan Dorr, several times. Dorr is in critical condition at Samaritan Medical Center in Watertown after undergoing surgery.

Authorities say Van Waldick took off with a woman, Jessica Quinta, 24, who was inside the apartment at the time of the shooting. She was later found unhurt in Adams, 70 miles north of Syracuse. There was speculation the shooting involved a domestic dispute.

Action News 3 has learned that there was an existing relationship between Van Waldick, the man he's accused of shooting and Quinta.

Quinta has been a waitress at the Applebee's Restaurant in Watertown for five months now. Dorr, is the manager there.

Employees Action News spoke with tonight wouldn't comment on the relationship between Dorr and Quinta, but Van Waldick may have believed it was of a romantic nature.

They did however, say there was a confrontation just this past Sunday at that Applebees.

Sources at the restaurant say Officer VanWaldick came in acting belligerent and "was making threats against Jessica."

They tell Action News VanWaldick said he was going to kill her.

The Applebees employees say Watertown Police were called to the scene and escorted Officer VanWaldick out of the restaurant.

Good to hear that the guy turned himself in! Prayers going up for Mr. Dorr's healing and recovery.

Am glad the woman is okay too.

I hope the man pulls through. What a scary few hours it must have been for everyone involved.