A Waterloo man was taken into custody early Tuesday morning after a violent assault escalated into a shootout and hours-long standoff in the town of Waterloo.
According to New York State Police, officers responded around 2:30 a.m. to an assault at Lot 11 of 890 Waterloo-Geneva Road. The suspect, identified as Randy Mark Davis Jr., 45, of Waterloo, had forced his way into the residence, assaulted the homeowner, and stole firearms belonging to the victim.
After the initial assault, Davis allegedly went to Lot 12 and took a cell phone from another resident, who was able to flee. When officers arrived, Davis was armed and opened fire on them, sparking a standoff that lasted several hours. A shelter-in-place alert was issued through Seneca County 911, though police later clarified that only some residents may have received it due to the county’s opt-in alert system.
Law enforcement, including State Police and the Seneca County Sheriff’s Office, established a perimeter and began negotiations. Despite their efforts, Davis continued to fire at officers. Additional support, including the State Police Special Operations Response Team (SORT), was called in.
During the standoff, Davis moved between multiple mobile homes, including his own at Lot 10. Police said he fired from both Lots 11 and 12. At one point, he began shooting at propane tanks, increasing the risk to surrounding homes and emergency personnel. SORT deployed CS gas into the trailer at Lot 11, prompting Davis to surrender.
He was taken into custody without further incident. No officers were injured during the exchange, though State Police acknowledged that the situation could have ended much differently if not for the coordination and professionalism of the responding agencies. Davis was processed at SP Waterloo Tuesday morning.
The original victim, who suffered serious injuries in the assault, was taken to Geneva General Hospital. Police also confirmed that children were present at one of the trailers but were able to escape unharmed. Other residents in neighboring lots were evacuated with assistance from Ontario County’s BearCat vehicle.
Potential charges against Davis include first-degree burglary, fifth-degree assault, five counts of attempted aggravated assault on a police officer, and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. The Seneca County Sheriff’s Office is expected to file additional charges related to Davis allegedly shooting at deputies.
Investigators are still working to determine if drugs or alcohol were involved and whether the stolen firearms were legally owned. Search warrants for all three trailers involved — Lots 10, 11, and 12 — were in the process of being written as of Tuesday morning.
Law enforcement leaders commended the cooperation among agencies, including assistance from multiple county sheriff’s offices, local police departments, fire departments, and EMS crews. They also thanked the community for their patience during the chaotic and dangerous incident, which remains under investigation.
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