Need to shoot man in doubt

By Paul Nelson

Tonya Stewart became emotional Wednesday morning while standing inches from the seemingly serene pathway overlooking a wooded area where only hours earlier a state trooper shot and wounded her distraught husband as he held a loaded .30 caliber rifle.

While she declined to discuss why she called 911 Tuesday afternoon, Stewart said her husband, Douglas, had been sitting on the wooden steps off a back deck along the side of 7 Cardinal Court with the weapon for about 15 minutes when two troopers approached him.

Within seconds, Douglas Stewart, 43, suffered at least one gunshot wound and was rushed to Albany Medical Center Hospital for what his wife said was six hours of surgery for a serious injury. She said he would live.

Stewart didn't see the shooting but was standing near the front edge of her driveway where she contends she could hear what happened.

She acknowledged police work is inherently dangerous and that cops are often forced to make split-second life or death decisions. Still, she stressed that the violent confrontation could have ended peacefully.

"They yelled, 'Put the gun down, put the gun down.' There were two shots and then my husband said, 'OK, OK," she said. "I believe the altercation could have been avoided if they came in a non-threatening way, he would have handed over the gun."

Capt. Timothy Munro with the State Police BCI, the plainclothes detective branch of the agency, said Wednesday that the troopers tried to de-escalate a fast-moving, potentially dangerous situation in a densely populated residential area. He declined to elaborate and would not disclose how many shots were fired or how many times Douglas Stewart was hit, saying those details would be make public in coming days.

Tonya Stewart suggested the troopers could have tried to negotiated with her husband or perhaps had a psychologist on standby to talk with him, especially because he doesn't have a criminal record and is a "professional man who has always provided very well for his family."

"He had a bad day and just made a poor decision," said Stewart, 46.

The couple, married for 19 years, have two sons, both of whom were down the street as the encounter unfolded shortly after the wife called for help.

State Police Maj. Steven James, Troop G Commander, said Tuesday night from near the shooting scene that Stewart called 911 at 4:40 p.m. Tuesday.

When two troopers arrived at the home at the Robinwood Estates subdivision off Route 146, they found Stewart on the north side of his property with the rifle, James said.

The troopers talked with him for a short time, trying to convince him to drop the gun. When he refused, one trooper fired a shot that struck Stewart in the abdomen, James said. Stewart never fired his weapon, the major said.

James, who his secretary said was at a funeralin Vermont Wednesday, did not return a call seeking comment.

Tonya Stewart disputed James' account that there was an episode or incident before the shooting.

"There wasn't an incident other than my husband sitting there," she said.

She said the couple enjoyed a "very good" home life and are now relying on their Christian faith to get through the ordeal.

"We believe God has a master plan, we don't know what it is, but everything works for good," she added. "If I had know they would have been so aggressive, I wouldn't have called. It's an unfortunate situation that was made worse."

Munro said Stewart shouldn't second-guess herself.

"I think she did the right thing, the situation was serious, and needed a professional to resolve it," said Munro. "I don't think she needs to regret her actions, and she acted appropriately given the situation she was presented with."