On September 16, 2023, at 7:27 PM, The Rensselaer County Emergency Communication Center took calls for a reported stabbing at 400 McChesney Avenue Extension at the Sugar Hill Apartments behind building three. The New York State Police, North Greenbush Police, Brunswick No.1 Fire Company, and Mohawk Ambulance Service all responded to the scene.

As numerous state police units responded to the scene the dispatcher notified them that they had three stab wound victims down on scene. The dispatcher notified the units responding that the suspect was a white male unknown age with a beard and was still on scene. Brunswick No.1 car one, two, and three called in route to the scene and along with three Mohawk Ambulance’s from the City of Albany. Police units quickly arrived on scene and notified the dispatcher they had one at gun point and requested the air. The chief requested mutual aid from the Center Brunswick Fire Company to the scene to help as they had multiple patients to take care of. First response four, engine four-one and first response seven all quickly called in route to the scene.

sWith the trooper having the suspect at gunpoint, the trooper ordered the suspect to the ground where police took the suspect into custody. The trooper immediately placed the suspect into the back of his patrol car and began to administer first aid to the down victims that were stabbed. The dispatcher notified all of the fire department and EMS units that it was clear for them to enter the scene. The trooper requested the fire department and EMS to step it up as they had numerous victims with major injuries. Numerous police units quickly began to arrive on scene along with mutual aid from the Town of North Greenbush Police Department. All of the first responders on scene quickly began to arrive and rushed over to building three. Another stab wound victim was located in front of building five and a firefighters began to administer care to that individual.

Firefighters quickly began to administer basic life support to the victims as advance life-support from Mohawk Ambulance was coming from Berlin. Command requested the first two ambulances to come to the back of building three as those patients were in critical condition and the third ambulance to go to building five as that patient was in stable but critical condition. Albany’s meds doctor called in route to the scene. As additional firefighters and EMTs arrived on scene they quickly made their way to assist with the victims behind building three. Multiple ambulances quickly began to arrive on scene from the city of Albany. The first ambulance pulled in all the way to the back of building three and firefighters and EMTs quickly got the stretcher out of the back of the rig and rushed to the back of the building. Firefighters loaded the patient onto the stretcher and the driver of the ambulance quickly backed the rig up turned it around and raced to Albany Medical Center as the victim was unstable.

Investigators from the New York State Police quickly began to arrive on scene and police officers on scene checked on the suspect in the back of the patrol vehicle. Another ambulance was quickly loaded and the doctor from Albany Medical Center hopped on board and began to give advanced life saving measures to one of the stab wound victims. The third victim was transported to the hospital by the next arriving ambulance. Firefighters set up scene lighting for police in the rear of the building as there was a significant amount of evidence located there. All three patients were transported to Albany Medical Center in critical condition. The fire department remained on scene for an extended period of time.

New York State Police removed the suspect from the vehicle and began to check his pockets for all of his belongings. The suspect was identified as twenty-six-year-old Anthony I. Cresser of Brunswick, New York. Cresser was charged with three counts of Attempted Murder in the First Degree, three counts of Assault in the first degree, Robbery in the first degree and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the third degree. Cresser was transported to the State Police Brunswick barracks for processing. Cresser was arraigned at the Brunswick Town Court and remanded to the Rensselaer County Correctional Facility without bail. At this time there is no information available on why the attack occurred, but the one victim of the stabbing was harmed as he intervened to stop the vicious attack. During the altercation the good Samaritan’s dog ran off, but around 1:30 AM the dog was located safely and was reunited with his family.  The good samaritans act of bravery saved the two other stab wound victims.

As of September 17, 2023, all of the victims were in the ICU at Albany Medical Center in stable condition. At this time there is no date for the victims to be released from the hospital. A significant amount of the residents that lived in the apartment complex noticed how quickly and efficiently the firefighters and emergency medical staff responded to the incident and left a great impression upon them.