Albany Police: Deadly weekend shooting wasn’t random

ALBANY – There have been three shootings in the city of Albany in less than a week.

The one getting the most attention happened Saturday night at 117 North Lake Ave. Seven people were shot. One was killed.

Late Thursday afternoon, Mayor Kathy Sheehan and Police Chief Eric Hawkins gave another update.

Police say they found as many as 60 to 70 shell casings at the scene, but they only recovered two guns. So they say they know there are more weapons out there that were fired in the shootout.

Police say this shooting was not random. The victim who died in this shooting, 29-year-old Alexander Bolton, was part of a group that approached another group inside the lounge at 117 North Lake Ave. The situation quickly escalated, and both groups started shooting.

Documents in the arrest of the 10 suspects now facing weapons charges following the shooting, call the club where one group was located a clubhouse for the Suicide Squad motorcycle gang. NewsChannel 13 asked Chief Hawkins whether Bolton was part of a motorcycle gang, but the chief did not say.

Hawkins did say Bolton didn’t deserve to die, no matter his affiliation. Sheehan says the city and police are up against numerous guns in the city as they try to prevent more violence.

"It is challenging in an environment when we have so many guns that are on our streets to fight against those forces, which is why it’s so important that we work together to try to keep one another safe," said Sheehan.

Police still have not charged anyone in the death of Bolton, but the mayor and police chief say they are still actively investigating who fired the deadly shot.