NYS Police Say Upstate NY Man Fired Gun to Intimidate Neighbor

Troopers with the New York State Police from Norwich say, an Upstate New York man unsafely fired a gun within village limits, with the intent to intimidate someone.

According to NYSP, on March 30, 2025, at approximately 7:30 p.m., New York State Police at Norwich responded to a report of “shots fired” in the village of New Berlin. Troopers responded and upon an investigation, they determined that 39-year-old Joseph R. Avery, of New Berlin, NY discharged a gun unsafely within the village limits with the alleged intention of intimidating a person.

Troopers say, Avery was located by members of the New York State Police at his residence and he was arrested without further incident.

Avery was charged by NYSP with the following:

•Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the second degree, class “C” felony
•Reckless Endangerment in the first degree, class “D” felony
•Stalking in the second degree, class “E” felony
•Prohibited Use of a Weapon, misdemeanor
•Avery was processed at SP Norwich and transported to the Chenango County Correctional Facility for Centralized Arraignment.

New Berlin is a village located south of West Winfield and Route 20, and north of Norwich in Chenengo County, with a population of 2,682. It is the home of the Chobani Yogurt plant.

[AUTHOR'S NOTE:   This post is for informational purposes and is based largely on information received from the New York State Police Department. The reader is reminded that all suspects and arrested persons are innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.  At the time of this posting no additional information is available.]