Top Stories 2019: Shootings in Riverhead, Flanders

A tense scene unfolded outside a Doris Avenue home in August as police blocked off the road and an armored vehicle from the Suffolk County Emergency Services Unit was positioned out front during a stand-off. For several hours, police negotiated for the homeowner to come outside.
By mid-afternoon that day, the stand-off ended and police arrested Robert Brown for fatally shooting his 71-year-old wife, Sarah Brown.
Mr. Brown was eventually indicted by a grand jury on charges of second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. The future of the case remains unclear, as Mr. Brown was found “incapacitated” to stand trial by two competency tests. At a court appearance in November, Judge Mark Cohen said Mr. Brown will be sent to a medical facility operated by the New York State Office of Mental Health, where he will be re-examined. If they determine he is not incapacitated, he’ll be brought back to face trial.
Shortly after the Riverhead shooting, another scene in Flanders drew a heavy police presence. Officers responded to a shooting at a home on Pleasure Drive in early September and found a victim who had been shot three times. The woman accused of the shooting had fled and police believed she had their child with her. That prompted a statewide Amber Alert.
Patchita Tennant was ultimately arrested and the child was unharmed. Ms. Tennant argued that the shooting was in self-defense. But she is facing a grand jury indictment on charges of attempted murder. She pleaded not guilty to the upgraded charges. Prosecutors alleged that she was angry her estranged boyfriend wouldn’t marry her.
Photo caption: Patchita Tennant led into Southampton Justice Court. (Credit: Tim Gannon/file)