Anthony Almeida of Mastic faces charges after 3-hour armed standoff with police in Riverhead concrete plant
Riverhead police respond to the building on Kroemer Avenue Saturday. Credit: Tom Lambui
A Mastic man allegedly fired four shots from a rifle as he approached his father on the second floor of a Riverhead concrete facility Saturday afternoon, according to a criminal complaint.
Anthony Almeida, 43, first tried to enter the locked office of his father, Joseph Almeida, who owns Cross Island Concrete on Kroemer Avenue. Joseph Almeida then asked his son to “go downstairs,” before the son fired from the Ruger 9 mm rifle at 3:15 p.m., the court document obtained by Newsday shows.
Anthony Almeida then barricaded himself inside the building for several hours, police and court officials said. His father managed to safely exit the building shortly after the shots were fired, court officials said.
Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the scene of the shooting, including hostage negotiators with the Suffolk County Police Department, Riverhead police said in a news release. The area, which includes a neighboring indoor pool facility and church, was cordoned off by the police.
Officers with the Suffolk County Police Department's Emergency Services Unit brought Almeida into custody at 6:57 p.m., police said. Kroemer Avenue reopened to traffic about an hour later.
Almeida was arraigned bedside by Riverhead Town Justice Lori Hulse at a hospital Sunday morning on charges of first-degree reckless endangerment, a felony, and menacing, a misdemeanor, court officials said. He pleaded not guilty and was ordered held on $2,000 cash bail. He is represented by the Suffolk County Legal Aid Society and is due back in court Friday, court officials said.
Almeida also has pending charges related to a driving while intoxicated arrest last month, court records show. Legal Aid officials could not be reached for comment Sunday.
Joseph Almeida declined to comment on the incident when contacted by telephone Sunday.
The Riverhead Police Department's Detective Squad and K9 units joined patrol officers at the scene, police said. Suffolk police dispatched its Electronics Investigation Section in addition to its Emergency Services and Hostage Negotiation units. New York State Police, Southold police and New York State Environmental Conservation Police also responded to assist in the investigation.
The Riverhead Fire Department and Riverhead Town Volunteer Ambulance Corps also responded to the incident and the Ridge, Flanders and East Moriches departments were on standby. Suffolk County Fire Rescue Service set up a command post in a nearby parking lot.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Riverhead Police Department at 631-727-4500. All calls will be kept confidential, police said.
With Joe Werkmeister and Janon Fisher
Grant Parpan covers Suffolk County courts and federal courts for Newsday. A Long Island native, he joined Newsday in 2022.
