Saturday, the suspect's sister was arrested as the investigation continues.
Friday night's officer involved shooting on Grove Place left the suspect, 32-year-old Luis Rivera, dead.
Because this happened in the early evening, there were a lot of witnesses.
Police say 14 shots were fired just before 5:00 p.m. Friday.
Police say the suspect threatened the lives of the three officers and they acted appropriately.
But, many witnesses say they are questioning the police action.
“Get your hands up, get your hands up, and he’s yelling, ‘I’m dying, I’m dying,’” recounted one woman.
Grove Place residents are having a tough time dealing with what they saw Friday night when officers shot and killed the 32-year-old Rivera.
Police say Rivera failed to obey commands and then showed a handgun.
“At that point when you decide your life is in danger, you’re going to fire your weapon in compliance with Penal Law Section 35, to make sure the threat is eliminated,” explained Schenectady Police Commissioner Wayne Bennett.
Neighbors are questioning those actions, but are afraid to show their face, for fear of what they call "police retaliation."
“If opening fire in a residential neighborhood where there are so many children playing is nothing wrong according to policy, then maybe the policy needs to be changed,” explained an outraged resident.
Police shot at the suspect from the State Street end of Grove Place.
You can still see the evidence markers in the area where Rivera was shot and killed down. We spoke with a woman who lives three houses down from that spot, where two bullets were pulled from her porch.
“They actually told me they pulled one from here,” said the homeowner.
That woman's main concern - if those bullets traveled through the neighborhood to her house, what or who else could have been hit?
“It could have been a kid riding on the sidewalk, we don't know where the bullet came from, bullets don't have names on them,” she said.
Treasure Clayton runs Project Hope, an anti-violence group in the city.
She's worried most about how the kids will react after seeing a deadly shooting.
“I'm an adult, I can process this stuff and it’s still difficult,” Clayton said. “What do we expect from our children, what kind of example are we trying to set.”
Police say officers are trained to hold fire unless they have a clear shot – and say the three officers involved in Friday’s shooting acted within policy.
They add that you can't pick the time and place when things like this happen.
They say the officers did what was needed to stop what they believed was a threat to themselves and the entire neighborhood.
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Police say the autopsy on Luis Rivera has been completed.
The results, which are being held as evidence, will not be made available.
Police say there will also be no further comments made in regards to the shooting and add this incident matter may be brought forth to a Grand Jury at a later time, which is a normal procedure.
Members of this Department did make an arrest today at the crime scene at approximately 10:45 a.m.
Police say a grieving family member, 24-year-old Iris Vazquez of Schenectady, was repeatedly warned by Officers not to violate the integrity of the crime scene by passing the crime scene tape.
Police say Vazquez became belligerent with officers and attempted to enter the crime scene in an attempt to establish a memorial for her loved one.
Vazquez was taken into custody and charged with Obstructing Governmental Administration and Disorderly Conduct.
She was arraigned on those charges by the sitting Schenectady City Judge and released on her own recognizance.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A Schenectady neighborhood is in shock after witnessing a fatal police shooting.Together, three Schenectady Police Officers responding to a 'man with a gun' call Friday night, shot and killed a 32-year-old suspect right in the middle of State Street just before 4:30 p.m.
Public Safety Commissioner Wayne Bennett says the police acted properly, and that the suspect tried to pull a gun on the officers as they were attempting to arrest him.
Fox23 was one of only two stations to have a conversation with the family of the suspect as they left the police department Friday evening in tears.Even before authorities would confirm any of the details, the mother and brother of 32-year-old Luis Rivera confirmed that it was their family member who had been involved in an altercation with Schenectady police that turned deadly in broad daylight.
Rivera's family could be seen leaving the police department embracing and crying just after learning Rivera's fate at around 7 p.m.
State and local detectives are now combing the area, interviewing witnesses, and searching for answers.
In fact, they've even put out a call for the public to help.
Investigators are interested in speaking with anyone who may have been driving down State Street at the time of the altercation.
In the meantime, Bennett says all indications so far, show that the officers acted properly.
He said, "The subject did have a gun. He was ordered to stop and get down. He failed to do so, and at one point he turned and motioned toward the officers, they saw the gun, and at that point they fired upon him, all three (officers)."
Some witnesses paint a similar picture.
Jessica Ostrander said, "At first, the police grabbed him, and he pulled away and he ran. And then the guy (the suspect) pulled out something. I didn't see what it was, and threw it."
The original call came in as a 'man with a gun' on State Street, and Bennett says, within 10 minutes, the three officers had identified Rivera as the man in question.
The Commissioner says, when 10-year veteran Schenectady Police Sgt. William Fennell attempted to arrest the suspect, who was trying to flee the scene, the Sgt. managed to grab his shirt.
But, Bennett says, somehow, Rivera quickly pulled away, and then reached for a gun, and that's when all three S.P.D. officers fired.
Police Chief Mark Chaires said, "This is going to be a long, exhaustive investigation. The state police will also be involved. I can tell you based on the evidence we have now, but we will be collecting more, everything appears to be a terrible tragedy, but within policy, and not excessive."
The Commissioner says a total of 14 shots were fired, but will only confirm that 'at least two shots' hit the suspect.
Hours before the department released any information to the public, Ostrander was already quite sure of how many shots she had heard.
"He was shot at at least 14 times," she said.
Those who watched the situation unfold were horrified.
One little boy said, "I heard all the gunfire, then I just saw the man laying on the ground."
Ostrander said, "He left on a stretcher, and there was blood everywhere, all on his shirt."
Some people say they went into survival mode when they heard the shots pop.
While holding her two young children, Gale Gentile explained what she went through as the incident unfolded.
"I was walking to their father at the barber shop and I heard the gunshots. The first one went off and I just ran, pushed my kids up, I have two other ones (kids). I just pushed them in the back (of the shop). I mean, my heart was thumping," she said.
Bennett says Rivera has a lengthy arrest record, and spent time in prison on criminal weapon possession charges.
The Commissioner also added that, on Thursday night, Rivera was the victim of an assault and robbery investigated by the department.
He says that alleged crime happened near where Friday's shooting happened, and that Rivera was not cooperative with detectives who were on scene to look into the case.
Authorities say Rivera was carrying a 9mm semi-automatic when he was shot on Friday, but it's unclear if it was loaded at the time.
Bennett was unsure as to whether that gun was registered, and the weapon will be processed by forensic scientists in the coming days.
The three police officers have been placed on paid administrative leave, and will work with counselors to decide when to return to work.
The three police officers involved in the shooting are Sgt. Fennell, Officer Kevin Rayball and Officer Mike Wood.
We are told an autopsy will be conducted on Rivera Saturday at Albany Med.
Police tell us Schenectady Police went on a call reporting a man with a gun on State Street and Grove. When they arrived on scene they found a man who fit the description.
Investigators say they attempted to detain the man and say he tried to pull a gun.
Three members of the force fired 14 shots at 32-year-old Luis Rivera.
He later died at Ellis Hospital.
Police tell us Rivera has a criminal history and was in prison before.
Sgt. William Fennell, Officer Kevin Rayball and Officer Mike Wood are being put on paid administrative leave while police investigate. But at this point they believe they acted properly.
