Authorities in Auburn are investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred on August 8 at Melone Village, leaving one man dead. The incident unfolded during an investigation into child sexual exploitation, leading officers to confront Scott R. Demonte, 51, of Fayetteville, who brandished a handgun upon contact with law enforcement.
According to Sheriff Brian Schenck, Demonte turned the gun on himself after pointing it at officers, inflicting a fatal gunshot wound to his head. A preliminary investigation confirmed that an Auburn Police officer also discharged a single round, but it did not strike Demonte. Officers on the scene attempted resuscitation, but Demonte succumbed to his self-inflicted injuries.
The investigation is ongoing, led by the Cayuga County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division, with assistance from the New York State Police, the New York State Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigations, and the Cayuga County District Attorney’s Office. The Auburn Police Department is also involved in the probe. Authorities have not released further details and urge anyone with information to contact Detective Sergeant Nicole Stewart at the Cayuga County Sheriff’s Office or submit tips online.
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