Armed standoff in Riverhead ends in an arrest

A Mastic man was arrested Saturday night after police say he entered his father’s Riverhead concrete company, fired four shots from a rifle and then remained holed up inside the building for nearly three hours before surrendering.

The incident drew numerous law enforcement agencies and units — including Suffolk County Police hostage negotiators — to Cross Island Concrete on Kroemer Ave, which is owned by Joseph Almeida.

Authorities charged his son, Anthony Almeida, 43, with felony reckless endangerment and misdemeanor menacing.

Riverhead police received a call just before 4 p.m. on Saturday about a man firing a gun inside the Kroemer Ave. building, just south of Old Country Road.

Multiple units responded, and began cordoning off the area surrounding the concrete company, Riverhead police said in a press release.

Anthony Almeida “attempted to enter Joseph Alameida’s (father) locked office while holding a Ruger 9mm rifle in his hands,” according to case records reviewed by The Riverhead News Review.

“When the defendant was asked to go downstairs, he fired about four (4) shots from the Ruger 9mm before going downstairs.”

Police say the younger Alameida then “barricaded” himself inside the building for nearly three hours. He was taken into custody just before 7 p.m., authorities said.   

Joseph Alameida escaped the building unharmed soon after the shots were fired, according to a Newsday report, which said Anthony Alameida was arraigned Sunday morning by a Riverhead judge. He pleaded not guilty and was ordered held on $2,000 cash bail, the newspaper reported.

In addition to Riverhead Police detectives and a K-9 unit, the Suffolk County Police Emergency Services, Hostage Negotiation and Electronic Investigations responded to the scene — as well as the New York State Police, Southold Police Department, New York State Environmental Conservation Police and the Riverhead Fire Department and Town Volunteer Ambulance Corps.

Joseph Alamedia could not be reached for comment, and an attorney for Suffolk County Legal Aid, which is representing Anthony Alamedia, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact the Riverhead Police Department at 631-727-4500.