Gun Waving Man Arrested in Poughkeepsie

POUGHKEEPSIE – City police in Poughkeepsie responded to reports of a man walking in the area of Columbus Drive waving a gun at passing motorists at approximately 1:37 p.m. last Thursday.

Several officers arrived in the area of Main Street and the Columbus Drive (westbound arterial) near the Mid Hudson Civic Center and located the subject near the Italian Center. The man, identified as 32-year-old Mamoudou Sow, pulled a handgun out of his waistband and pointed it at the officers. The officers immediately took cover behind their vehicles and Sow ran south on Columbus Drive, still pointing the gun at the officers and squeezing the trigger repeatedly. Officers were forced to stop traffic near Main and Columbus in order to corral the suspect.

City resident Alexander Robinson was in his car on Columbus Drive when he saw a man running right in front of his vehicle, followed immediately by a swarm of police. “The way the cops took him into custody was amazing. The whole thing was over in about twenty seconds,” said Robinson. “The way the police handled the situation, given the recent incidents across the country made me really proud to live in Poughkeepsie.”

Officers took Sow into custody after the brief foot pursuit. He has been charged with four misdemeanor counts of Menacing in the second degree and Obstruction of Governmental Administration in the second degree, also a misdemeanor. The weapon was determined to be a realistic-looking imitation gun.

Sow will be arraigned in the City of Poughkeepsie court.

Mayor Rob Rolison had nothing but praise for the officers the way they handled the situation. “Obviously, this incident could have ended in tragedy. I am proud of the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department,” he said. “The officers here showed great restraint, and the department did a tremendous job assessing the situation and acting accordingly. Particularly in these turbulent times, I would hope the public would consider what happened here and realize not only the importance of the Police Department but the professional manner in which they serve every day.”