18-Year-Old Aimed At Opponent, Shot Girlfriend: Orange County DA

ORANGE COUNTY, NY — An 18-year-old Wallkill resident accused of shooting his girlfriend while trying to shoot someone else with an illegal gun pleaded guilty to second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

Under the plea agreement, the District Attorney will recommend Joseph Lightfoot be sentenced to 10 years in prison to be followed by five years of post-release supervision.

Prosecutors said Walden residents engaged in an argument April 25 with a relative regarding property they believed was stolen by the relative from their driveway.

As the argument escalated, Lightfoot, his girlfriend and another man got out of a nearby truck and began a fight with the man who had been accused, prosecutors said.

During the altercation, Lightfoot took a loaded, unlicensed pistol out of his hoodie, aimed at the man and fired, striking his own girlfriend in the wrist and shattering the window of a vehicle, prosecutors said.

Lightfoot later admitted to members of the Village of Walden Police Department that he possessed the gun, for which he did not have a permit, and shot it during the altercation, prosecutors said.

At the plea proceedings Lightfoot admitted to illegally possessing the loaded firearm.

"This defendant’s life-threatening actions endangered the lives of numerous people," said District Attorney David M. Hoovler. "While his careless choices thankfully did not result in the death of another, such an outcome was easily foreseeable under the circumstances. This plea highlights my Office’s commitment to holding violent offenders accountable. Together with the dedicated work of our law enforcement partners, we remain vigilant in our pursuit of gun violence. We will continue to tirelessly work to ensure that illegal firearms and the offenders who use them are taken off our streets."

Lightfoot is scheduled to be sentenced on July 31.