Latest news with #NiagaraCountySheriff'sOffice
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Sheriff's investigators searching for missing Lockport lawyer
CAMBRIA — Niagara County Sheriff's Office investigators are seeking help from the public to locate a missing Lockport attorney. Sheriff Michael Filicetti confirmed Thursday that family members reported Scott Stopa missing earlier this week. They told police that Stopa, 46, has not been seen or heard from since Tuesday. 'Our family is extremely concerned for his safety and well-being,' Stopa's sister Jenny told the Gazette Thursday night. 'No one's heard from him and his phone is at his home.' Jenny Stopa-Ryan said friends and family spent much of the day Thursday looking for her brother. 'We have no idea where he might be. We've been looking everywhere,' his sister said. 'We searched near his home, his office, anywhere we could think of where he might be.' Stopa is a partner at Ben & Stopa Attorneys-at-Law on East Avenue in Lockport. He lives in the Town of Cambria. 'We just want him home safely,' Jenny said. Stopa's online profile indicates that his legal practice is 'family-law focused.' The profile says Stopa 'represents clients in divorce, custody, paternity, and guardianship proceedings.' He is also described as a 'court-certified' child guardian. Filicetti said members of his office's Criminal Investigation Bureau have been working on Stopa's disappearance since the missing person's report was first filed. The sheriff said help from the public may assist investigators. Stopa may be driving a black Jeep Compass with New York license plate LNN-1422. 'Every piece of information helps,' Filicetti said. 'We're asking anyone who may have information to contact our investigators at 716-438-3393.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Prominent Niagara County attorney missing, family pleading for help to find him
LOCKPORT, N.Y. (WIVB) — A Lockport family is pleading for help to find their loved one, a prominent Niagara County attorney who went missing earlier this week. Scott Stopa, 46, was last seen around 8:30 Tuesday morning. His loved ones have not heard from him since, and now police are investigating, hoping to find him and bring him home to his family who are devastated by his disappearance. 'Scott, we love you so much, please come home if you see this,' his sister, Jenny Ryan said, fighting back tears. 'We miss you, we love you, we're all here for you, and we want you to come home.' Ryan said that her brother said he was heading to work when he left Tuesday morning, but that's the last they've seen or heard from him. He was in the process of opening up his own law office at the Bewly Building in downtown Lockport, according to the family. 'Efforts have been made by multiple family members to reach him, unfortunately he doesn't have his phone on him,' Niagara County Sheriff Michael Filicetti said. 'So, they're very concerned because they haven't had contact with him for now going on three days, and they contacted us to assist them in locating him.' Stopa's family said that he had been dealing with personal issues, including depression. Filicetti said they believe he could still be in the area. 'We have some indications that he's still local based on our investigation, so again we're still trying to locate him,' Sheriff Filicetti said. 'We're using the usual techniques that we would normally do to try to find somebody. Through the use of technology we can indicate that his vehicle has been in the area the last couple of days. So, again, we're going to continue to stay local here for our purposes, for the investigation.' Stopa's family remains devastated by his disappearance and are praying that he comes home safely. They're urging anyone with any information on his whereabouts to come forward. 'We are devastated. We just want him home safely,' Ryan said. 'We miss him, we love him, and we just want him home safely. Please, please contact the Niagara County Sheriff's Department immediately – even if it's the smallest tip – no matter what, we need information as soon as possible.' Stopa was last seen driving a black 2014 Jeep Compass with New York registration – LNN1422. Anyone with any information on his whereabouts is urged to call the Niagara County Sheriff's Office at (716) 438-3394. Rob Petree is an anchor and reporter who joined the News 4 team in 2025. See more of his work by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Several local Memorial Day observances taking place
Lockport loves a parade and the parade season begins solemnly Sunday at 1 p.m. to recognize Memorial Day. Kevin Kirchberger, alderman at large, said organizers are proud to bring back the parade for a second year. Kirchberger said the fire and police departments, Niagara County Sheriff's Office, Lockport Community Band, and various community organizations will participate in the procession that starts at Monument Park by the former hospital. 'It's to honor our veterans. It's not like a 4th of July parade,' Kirchberger said. 'This is a non-candy event. I'm handing out little flags to the kids.' The parade will progress up East Avenue to Pine Street, cross the Pine Street Bridge and arrive at Canal Street. A community gathering will take place on Canal Street that includes live music, three food trucks, a cash-only beer truck, and the surrounding businesses. At 2 p.m. the rock and pop band Uncan Valley will play. The rock band Me and the Boys will take the stage at 3:30 p.m. The Central Niagara Catholic Family will host Memorial Day masses at St. Patrick's Cemetery, 23 Glenwood Ave., Lockport, at 9 a.m. Monday; and St. Charles Cemetery, 3185 Lockport Olcott Road, Newfane, at 9:30 a.m. Monday. Newfane The Town of Newfane and Newfane American Legion are co-hosting the town's Memorial Day observance at Corwin Cemetery, Lockport-Olcott and Hatter roads, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday. There'll be music, re-enactments, speeches and military honors as local residents who died in service to our country are remembered. Wilson American Legion, Martin F. Jennings Post 836, will hold its annual Memorial Day ceremony at Greenwood Veterans Memorial Park, Park Street adjacent to Greenwood Cemetery, at 10 a.m. Monday. The guest speaker is U.S. Marine Katrina Clark. The Air Force Honor Guard will conduct a flag folding, rifle salute and play Taps. Post 836 will raise a flag and perform Taps at noon for the Wilson Historical Society, during its annual Memorial Day Fair. Post Commander Gary Pettit said all are welcome and encouraged to attend the ceremonies.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Child in ICU after being trapped under vehicle
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A child is in critical condition after being found unconscious and trapped underneath a vehicle Monday in the Town of Hartland, the Niagara County Sheriff's Office said. Deputies responded to a 911 call about a vehicle accident involving a child around 5 p.m. in the driveway of a residence on Ellicott Road. Deputies were able to free the child from underneath the vehicle, who was then transported to Oishei Children's Hospital via Mercy Flight, officials said. The child is in critical condition in the intensive care unit, officials said, and officials believe the incident to be accidental in nature. This is a developing story, and we will update as soon as more information becomes available. *** Mark Ludwiczak joined the News 4 team in 2024. He is a veteran journalist with two decades of experience in Buffalo. You can follow him online at @marklud12. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Yahoo
Falls police arrest two during Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) operation
Falls police, with assistance from Niagara County Sheriff's Office deputies and Niagara County Probation officers, disrupted activity at a pair of city drug houses during an operation conducted last week as part of New York State's GIVE (Gun Involved Violence Elimination) initiative. In addition to enhanced patrols at 'drug hot spots' in the city, the task force of officers and deputies also executed a pair of search warrants in the 500 block of 20th Street and the 1000 block of 19th Street. Narcotics and Intelligence Division detectives said their targeted suspect was not at 545 20th St. when they came knocking on Thursday. However, investigators said they did not leave empty-handed after seizing a quantity of what was described as ammunition, quantities of suspected cocaine and suspected fentanyl, along with drug paraphernalia. Detectives said half a dozen people were located inside the home, which had reportedly been the subject of numerous neighborhood complaints. Neighbors said it was a frequent site for large gatherings and that they had observed 'drug activity and illegal gambling' outside the residence. Police said they arrested Claude Wilson, 47, of the Falls, on an outstanding arrest warrant issued by a Niagara Falls City Court judge. Also arrested on 19th Street was Dominique Hilson, 30, of the Falls. A pair of sheriff's investigators spotted Hilson standing across 20th Street, watching the activity and confirmed that she was wanted on an outstanding arrest warrant issued out of Erie County. Hilson was taken into custody without incident. Officers and deputies also did not did not get their targeted suspect at 1015 19th St. Investigators said that property, which has previously been condemned, has also been the subject of numerous neighborhood complaints regarding drug activity. Investigators said they seized drug paraphernalia and ammunition from that location. The GIVE initiative represents a million-dollar-plus investment in reducing gun violence in the Falls. The city has received a 2024-25 grant allocation of $1,228,947 as part of a more than $36 million state-wide allocation for a program. GIVE has been credited with producing a two-year drop in incidents of gun violence, including a 37% reduction in shooting incidents in the state in 2024, compared to a five-year average. State officials have also said that the grant funding has led to a record number of illegal firearms seizures. The 2024-25 GIVE funding for Falls police represents a slight decrease from the $1.24 million contained in the 2023-24 grant. That money was part of a $2.18 million grant to Niagara County law enforcement agencies that included the Niagara County District Attorney's Office, the Niagara County Sheriff's Office and Niagara County Probation. Give operations rely heavily on data-driven crime responses, utilizing information compiled and analyzed by the Niagara Intelligence & Crime Analysis Center (NICAC). Falls police have said that data analysis allows them to better patrol the Cataract City streets by allowing them to identify what they describe as crime 'Hot Spots.' The grant also fully funds the work of a Falls Criminal Investigation Division (CID) detective who works solely on non-fatal shooting cases. GIVE also funds a multi-faceted community outreach program. Falls Police Superintendent Nicholas Ligammari, who previously, in his role as a police captain, supervised the NFPD GIVE initiative, has described it as 'a multi-agency, evidence-based, enforcement program.' The New York State Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), which funds GIVE, describes it as 'a key component of New York state's shooting and homicide reduction strategy.' The program, now in its 11th year, focuses on four core elements, which DCJS says are people, places, alignment and engagement. GIVE jurisdictions are required to use a policing framework known as Problem-Oriented Policing (POP). DCJS says the key components of POP are hotspots policing, focused deterrence, street outreach, and a concept called Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED). Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design looks at how the design of buildings, landscaping and outdoor environments can either encourage or discourage crime. In a description of the program, DCJS said GIVE 'is directed at preventative and enforcement efforts on top offenders who have been identified as being responsible for most shootings and homicides or aggravated assaults.' The program is designed to focus on 'preventative and enforcement efforts on the geographic locations (hot spots) where crime data and analysis demonstrate that most shootings and homicides or aggravated assaults occur.' Funding is provided to 28 police departments, district attorney's offices, probation departments and sheriff's offices in the 21 counties outside of New York City that have been hit the hardest by gun violence and violent crime. The funding for 2024-25 is the highest level in the program's history.
