Officers, Passengers Involved in Thornwood Shooting Named

At a press conference Monday morning, Mount Pleasant Police Chief Louis Alagno identified the police officers and car passengers involved in Sunday's fatal shooting of a Pace University student outside a Thornwood bar.

He also clarified a few details of the incident, but added that the investigation is continuing. Killed was Danroy Henry, a 20-year-old Pace football player from North Easton, MA. Alagno said that a police officer knocked on the driver's side window of the Nissan Ultima stopped in the fire lane at the shopping center where a brawl was underway before the car took off. Henry was driving the car.

Pleasantville police Officer Aaron Hess, ended up on the hood of the car and discharged his weapon. He has been an officer in Pleasantville since May 27 2003, and before that had been a New York City policeman from March 2000.

Mount Pleasant Officer Ronald Beckley also discharged his weapon. He has been with the department since Nov. 24, 1980.

Also injured in the incident was Mount Pleasant Officer Carl Castagna, who has been with the department since Aug 1, 2005. 

The passenger in the front seat of the vehicle was identified as Brandon Cox, a 20-year-old from South Easton, MA. Alagno said that he had a "grave wound to his left arm" from the event. Cox was a former high school classmate of Henry's. The two attended Oliver Ames High School in North Easton, MA.

In the back seat, uninjured in the incident, was Desmond Hinds, a 21-year-old Stamford resident.

A number of local police departments responded with mutual aid, the chief said, including: Tarrytown, Yorktown, New Castle, Sleepy Hollow, Hastings, North Castle, Briarcliff, Elmsford, Greenburgh,  Yonkers, Westchester County police, the DEP and the state police.

The department is working with Westchester County Crime Scene Unit and the District Attorney's Office, as well as state officials.

"We have requested and received assistance from the New York State Police Major Case Unit," the chief said.

The officers involved have not returned to work since the incident, he said. Interviews are ongoing and they will be placed on administrative duty.