Alleged Sleepy Hollow Shooter Appears in Court

Sean Ward, 30, appeared in a well-guarded courtroom Monday afternoon, handcuffed and visibly battered.

With Sleepy Hollow police officers and Lieutenant Anthony Bueti positioned at the front and back entrances to the Village courtroom, Ward was led into the room with a bandage covering his nose and both eyes nearly swollen shut. He greeted several people in the courtroom's audience.

Ward had two attorneys on his left, one for past misdemeanor charges from this village for disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and trespass. For these Ward was originally scheduled a jury trial on May 24.

This May date has been canceled in light of the new felony charges against Ward for attempted murder following an Easter morning dispute when he allegedly shot and seriously wounded two men.

It is unclear whether Ward was beaten before or after the shooting and there’s been various contradictory accounts with no official statement from the police. , while urging anyone with more information to come forward to help the ongoing investigation.

Ward’s defense attorney for the new set of charges pointed out that his client had received surgery to repair one eye socket. He sustained injuries to both eyes as well as a fractured nose.

Because of these injuries, Ward was unable to appear at last week’s scheduled court date. On Monday, his lawyer asked Village Justice Alfred Farella to grant him a felony hearing in one week, next Monday, April 15 at 3 p.m.

There was also an attempt by Ward’s original attorney to set bail for $1 on the previous misdemeanor charges, since “clearly he’s not going anywhere.” Ward is being held at Westchester County Jail in Valhalla.

Farella denied this request, as the prosecution said, “to more accurately reflect his situation.” Ward had apparently failed to appear in court on two previous occasions.

Instead, Farella set bail for the misdemeanor charges at $500 cash or bond. There is no bail set for charges that now include:

• two counts of assault in the first degree,
• two counts of attempted murder in the second degree,
• and criminal possession of a weapon in the first degree.

The tragic March 31 in front of Match Bar at the intersection of Beekman and Barnhart. Building Inspector Sean McCarthy quickly posted notice on the door of the bar early last week, stating that the facility was closed for structural safety issues. 

Sunday's fight followed a bar fight at Valley Street's Santorini Restaurant on March 29, resulting in the arrest of three men and the hospitalization of two. 

Note: Arrests do not indicate convictions.