Man Threatened to Shoot Customers at Galleria, Police Say

According to the Times Herald Record, on Sunday, a Middletown man allegedly approached staff and residents of a group home who were visiting the mall as they walked through the parking lot at the Galleria at Crystal Run.

Police told the Record that the suspect confronted the group, saying he had a pistol and was going to shoot them, as he held his hand behind his back near his waistband.

The staff and residents of the group home went to their vehicle and called state police, while Baker continued to threaten and challenge the group from outside the vehicle.

Before police arrived on the scene, the suspect identified as Jeffrey W. Baker fled the parking lot and made his way into a Sears store and allegedly confronted two more people and threatened to shoot them as well.

When police arrived, they located Baker inside the mall and arrested him. He was not armed, and no guns on him.

Jeffrey Baker was charged with third-degree menacing and disorderly conduct. He was arraigned in Wallkill Town Court and sent to Orange County Jail in lieu of $2,500 cash bail.