A fatal shooting stemming from a long-standing neighbor dispute occurred around 9 a.m. on Wednesday April 8, 2026 at the Hawthorn Way apartments in New Windsor, New York. Town of New Windsor Police responded to reports of shots fired and found 57-year-old Larome A. Johnson suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Johnson was transported to Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital in Newburgh where he was pronounced dead. The incident took place in a residential apartment complex on Hawthorn Way where the dispute between neighbors escalated into gunfire. No other individuals were injured during the confrontation that unfolded in this part of New Windsor.
Larome A. Johnson was a retired New York State corrections officer and cancer survivor who lived on Hawthorn Way in New Windsor. He was remembered by family and friends as a resilient man who had overcome significant health challenges and was known for his dedication to his community. The sudden loss has left his loved ones devastated as they process the violence that claimed his life at the apartment complex on Hawthorn Way.
The suspect was identified as 47-year-old Thomas J. Crews of New Windsor who was arrested at the scene and charged with second-degree murder. Crews was arraigned at his hospital bedside due to a suspected heart issue and is being held without bail in the Orange County Jail. The preliminary investigation indicates the shooting resulted from the ongoing neighbor dispute at the Hawthorn Way apartments.
The New Windsor community has been left in profound grief with residents expressing sorrow over the loss of Larome A. Johnson in the shooting at the Hawthorn Way apartments. Family and friends have shared private tributes highlighting his strength and positive presence while the town processes the tragedy that unfolded on April 8, 2026. Local support networks have offered condolences to the victim’s loved ones during this difficult time in New Windsor.
The Town of New Windsor Police Department and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office continue their investigation into the April 8 2026 shooting at the Hawthorn Way apartments. Detectives are reviewing evidence and witness statements from the scene while the case remains active. The shooting has been classified as a homicide with focus on the neighbor dispute that led to the gunfire in this residential complex.
The New Windsor community continues to mourn the loss of Larome A. Johnson with calls for justice and awareness following the fatal shooting at the Hawthorn Way apartments. As the investigation proceeds the focus remains on supporting the grieving family while the town reflects on the sudden violence that ended the life of a retired corrections officer and cancer survivor on April 8, 2026 in New Windsor, New York.
