LI CRIME BRIEFS

HEMPSTEAD/Acquittal in shooting of teen girl

A Hempstead teenager accused of shooting a 16-year-old girl last year after a church party was acquitted Wednesday of all charges.

Antione Redfern was found not guilty of first-degree assault, according to his attorney, Jeffrey Groder of Mineola.

Groder said while prosecutors said Redfern, 17, shot the girl, witness accounts of the April 25 shooting varied widely. At trial, Groder said, he argued that another man could have pulled the trigger.

Redfern had been held in Nassau County jail for about 10 months, Groder said. Prosecutors confirmed the acquittal, but did not comment further.

- Ann Givens

FORT SALONGA/Arrest after eight-hour standoff

An East Northport man was arrested Wednesday morning after a standoff with Suffolk County police officers that lasted more than eight hours and forced the closure of Route 25A, Fort Salonga Road.

Police said Christopher Loughlin, 42, was charged with second-degree criminal contempt for violating an order of protection. Police said charges in connection with the standoff were being considered.

The incident began Tuesday night when police said uniformed officers went to the residence at 694B Fort Salonga Rd. to serve an arrest warrant on Loughlin. Instead, police said, he barricaded himself.

Police said Loughlin was not armed. No one was injured, and no hostages were involved. The incident began at 10:53 p.m. Tuesday and ended at 7:11 a.m., police said.

Fort Salonga Road was closed between Vernon Valley Road and Laurel Avenue, police said.

- John Valenti

MERRICK/Man hurt in attempted robbery at church

A man was slashed in an attempted robbery in a Merrick church Wednesday, police said.

Nassau police said someone entered St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church on Hewlett Avenue at about 8:45 a.m., flashed a knife and demanded money from the male victim, 62.

The victim, a church worker, suffered a minor slash wound to his hand and refused medical treatment. The robber fled empty-handed, police said.

Police describe the assailant as a black male, 45-50 years old, between 5-foot-8 and 6 feet tall, with a stocky build and round face and wearing a black sweater and black ski cap. A person answering the phone at the church said she was unaware of the incident and declined to comment.

- John Valenti