A Seneca County man who opened fire on law enforcement during a predawn standoff last spring has pleaded guilty to three counts of attempted murder. Union reps say the conviction reflects risks deputies face at a time when the Sheriff’s Office is strained by vacancies and stalled contract negotiations.
Randy Davis Jr. entered the guilty plea this week in Seneca County Court, admitting he intended to kill three members of law enforcement during the April 1, 2025 incident, according to District Attorney John Nabinger. The standoff involved multiple shots fired at responding deputies before Davis was taken into custody without injury to officers. Sentencing is set for Jan. 21, 2026, when Davis is expected to receive a 20-year prison sentence.
Union: Deputies ran toward gunfire
The Seneca County Sheriff’s Police Benevolent Association said Davis’ admission underscores what deputies encounter on the job. In its statement, the PBA said Davis “admitted to his intent to kill two of our own PBA members,” referring to the deputies involved in the confrontation. “As residents slept on that cold April morning, it was law enforcement that ran towards gunfire to protect innocent victims,” the union said, adding that it holds the involved deputy and sergeant “in the highest regard.”
The union emphasized its broader point that deputies respond to high-risk situations while contract talks with the county remain unresolved.
Staffing and contract pressures continue
Deputies have been working without a ratified contract since Jan. 1. Mediation began after talks broke down in October. County officials say they cannot afford the union’s proposed pay increases, which average roughly 37.5% over three years, pointing to recent tax hikes and the prior contract’s 40.4% average raise. They argue long-term costs must be controlled to avoid deeper budget pressures.
The PBA and several former sheriffs counter that below-market pay has fueled turnover, increased overtime, and weakened recruitment. Recent union data shows 100 deputies began their careers in Seneca County but left for other agencies, many for significantly higher wages. Four full-time deputy positions remain unfilled, leading to fewer school resource officers, no dedicated narcotics investigator, and thinner road-patrol coverage.
Sheriff Tim Thompson has said applicants and lateral candidates routinely decline offers after comparing Seneca County’s pay scale with neighboring departments.
Board of Supervisors to meet Thursday
The conviction comes days before the Seneca County Board of Supervisors meets Thursday at 6 p.m., where the agenda includes several public-safety-related items and a public hearing on salaries for elected officials and senior county personnel.
While the deputies’ contract is not on the agenda, the meeting will feature:
- A presentation from the New York State Sheriffs’ Association on reaccreditation;
- Resolutions involving emergency communications upgrades;
- A grant application authorizing the Sheriff’s Office to seek law-enforcement technology funds; and
- An intermunicipal agreement for court-security staffing.
The agenda also includes an open privilege-of-the-floor period, offering an opportunity for residents to address supervisors directly about staffing or public-safety concerns.
Union sees case as reminder of risks; county has not linked incident to negotiations
Union officials say the Davis case reinforces their longstanding argument that deputies face elevated risks while working short-staffed and below regional wage levels. County officials, however, have not publicly connected the shooting to contract talks and maintain that their negotiating stance is driven by budget realities, not operational concerns.
A plea that adds pressure but changes little for now
The guilty plea does not alter the county’s position or the mediation timeline, but it has sharpened the focus on the Sheriff’s Office as supervisors enter a meeting that includes several law-enforcement items but no scheduled discussion of the contract impasse. Whether Thursday’s session prompts public comment or signals any shift in posture remains unclear.
For now, the Davis conviction stands as one of the highest-profile cases in recent years involving attacks on deputies — arriving at a moment when the department continues to weigh rising public-safety demands against staffing shortages, turnover, and a contract dispute with no immediate resolution in sight.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].