Police make arrest on menacing complaint at FLCC

HOPEWELL, N.Y. — State Police have made an arrest in a menacing incident Tuesday near Finger Lakes Community College that caused a shelter-in-place order at the college.

Shawn D. Thomas, 48, of Canandaigua, has been charged with second-degree menacing and arraigned at the Ontario County Jail.

According to New York State Police, Thomas made threatening remarks and threatened someone with a knife several times on County Route 50 in the town of Hopewell, near Finger Lakes Community College, at around 9:20 a.m. Tuesday. Police said Thomas fled in the direction of FLCC. College President Robert Nye Tuesday said the campus was ordered to shelter-in-place, as part of FLCC’s emergency procedures.

Nye said in a Facebook post Tuesday that the suspect was apprehended on the forth floor of the building, after a faculty member and a student reported someone fitting the suspect’s description.

On September 12, 2023, at approximately 9:20 a.m., New York State Police in Canandaigua received a menacing complaint that took place on County Route 50 in the town of Hopewell near Finger Lakes Community College. 

An investigation determined that Shawn D. Thomas, age 48, of Canandaigua, NY,  made threatening remarks and threatened the victim with a knife several times. Thomas then fled in the direction of Finger Lakes Community College. Due to where the incident took place a shelter-in-place was ordered until Thomas was taken into custody a short time later. 

Thomas was arrested for Menacing 2nd (A Misdemeanor) and processed at SP Canandaigua without incident. Thomas was taken to Ontario County Jail for CAP arraignment.