Utica teacher dead following shooting at Old Forge motel
By: Rachel Polansky
Updated: August 27, 2012
This is the second deadly shooting in Old Forge in just a month. And
now, New York State Police are investigating exactly what happened. Off
The Top, Eyewitness News reporter Rachel Polansky visited Old Forge
today and spoke with business owners and tourists about how these
tragedies are affecting the community. Rachel, what can you tell us?
They've seen 2 fatal shootings in a little over a month and some people are shocked. Some say they've been visiting Old Forge for years, and never could have predicted the tragic events that would soon unfold in the small vacationing town.
"I can't even imagine. It's just such a small, family-oriented town. I can't believe something like that would happen here," says Liz Timm, tourist.
"It's concerning. I'm really surprised to find such a nice tourist town like this would have 2 shootings so close together," says Janet Coe, tourist.
Last month, officials say a father accidentally shot and killed his own son at Clark's Beach Motel in Old Forge.
"The father had been sleeping and somehow he had awoken and had his service weapon in his room. Whether he had a flash back or what caused it he shot his son," says Dan Rivet, Clark's Beach Motel owner.
And just about one month later, 30-year-old Catherine Koestner, a school teacher in Utica, died Saturday after a shooting at the Forge Motel.
"I've been vacationing here for 10 years and this is the first time I've heard of anything. Definitely makes me question personal safety at night," says Timm.
Now business owners and tourists say they don't think the shootings will affect area business in Old Forge.
"I don't think it's hurting our businesses at all. We're still busy as ever," says Andree Dennis- Newton, area business employee.
"It was isolated incidents, had nothing to do with tourism. Ya know, people were up here and tragically they brought a gun," says Nick Bankert, business owner.
But some say they hope this will be a wake-up call for stricter gun control.
"These things happen in every town across the country, maybe we should have better gun laws," says Bankert.
"A lot of people have easy access to guns and that maybe wouldn't if there were tighter controls and we recently experienced the shooting at the empire state building so it's a shame," says Coe.
Now police say the investigation into Koestner's death is ongoing. Eyewitness News contacted the Forge Motel, but they declined to comment.
They've seen 2 fatal shootings in a little over a month and some people are shocked. Some say they've been visiting Old Forge for years, and never could have predicted the tragic events that would soon unfold in the small vacationing town.
"I can't even imagine. It's just such a small, family-oriented town. I can't believe something like that would happen here," says Liz Timm, tourist.
"It's concerning. I'm really surprised to find such a nice tourist town like this would have 2 shootings so close together," says Janet Coe, tourist.
Last month, officials say a father accidentally shot and killed his own son at Clark's Beach Motel in Old Forge.
"The father had been sleeping and somehow he had awoken and had his service weapon in his room. Whether he had a flash back or what caused it he shot his son," says Dan Rivet, Clark's Beach Motel owner.
And just about one month later, 30-year-old Catherine Koestner, a school teacher in Utica, died Saturday after a shooting at the Forge Motel.
"I've been vacationing here for 10 years and this is the first time I've heard of anything. Definitely makes me question personal safety at night," says Timm.
Now business owners and tourists say they don't think the shootings will affect area business in Old Forge.
"I don't think it's hurting our businesses at all. We're still busy as ever," says Andree Dennis- Newton, area business employee.
"It was isolated incidents, had nothing to do with tourism. Ya know, people were up here and tragically they brought a gun," says Nick Bankert, business owner.
But some say they hope this will be a wake-up call for stricter gun control.
"These things happen in every town across the country, maybe we should have better gun laws," says Bankert.
"A lot of people have easy access to guns and that maybe wouldn't if there were tighter controls and we recently experienced the shooting at the empire state building so it's a shame," says Coe.
Now police say the investigation into Koestner's death is ongoing. Eyewitness News contacted the Forge Motel, but they declined to comment.
