Robert J. Seifert, Threatening Mass Shooting, New York 2017

Defendant Threatens Mass Shooting at Albany VA Medical Center

A disturbing case of a man threatening a mass shooting at the Stratton VA Medical Center in Albany, New York has come to a close. Robert J. Seifert, a 59-year-old resident of Canandaigua, New York, was sentenced to time served (approximately 12.5 months in jail), as well as 3 years of supervised release, for making an interstate threat to injure another.

The sentencing was announced by Acting United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Special Agent in Charge Donna L. Neves of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office.

On March 31, 2017, Seifert pled guilty to the charge of making an interstate threat to injure another. In his guilty plea, he admitted to making a phone call to a Veterans Crisis Line operator in Portland, Oregon, on June 15, 2016. During the call, Seifert made disturbing statements, including, "I got an Uzi and I wanna kill everybody at the Albany VA," "Watch what happens when I get to the Albany VA with my Uzi and I start shooting people up," and "I’m going to [expletive] kill everybody there."

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett.

Seifert’s actions were reckless and disturbing, and it’s fortunate that no one was harmed. His sentence serves as a reminder of the seriousness of making threats against others, and the consequences that can follow.

As a community, we must continue to work towards preventing such incidents from occurring in the future.

This case highlights the importance of vigilance and accountability in our society. We must remain vigilant in reporting suspicious activity and holding individuals accountable for their actions.

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