Watervliet Teen Gets Attempted Murder; Chief Uneasy about Her Release

A 14-year-old girl, who was accused of attempted murder this week, was released and is now under the supervision of the Albany County Probation Department with electronic monitoring.

However, the Chief of Watervliet Police spoke out against the court's decision to release a juvenile back into the community, who is capable of committing such a violent act.

Street Brawl Results in Stabbing

According to a report from the Watervliet Police Department, a 14-year-old girl from Watervliet has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly "stabbing another juvenile multiple times during a large altercation in the city."

Police say the incident happened during a large fight on Thursday, June 12th, at approximately 4:00 PM on 13th Street and 2nd Avenue in Watervliet, and when they got there, two of the juveniles had injuries; one was pepper-sprayed and another had "sustained multiple stab wounds."

The report states that both were transported to a local hospital, and that the stabbing victim’s injuries were not life-threatening, and they are expected to recover.

What We Know About the Stabbing

According to the report, police were quick to identify that a 14-year-old girl had stabbed a victim with a knife described by authorities as "posing a serious risk of death or substantial bodily harm."

The suspect, who was identified and taken into custody, was formally charged with:

• Attempted Murder in the 2nd Degree (Class A Felony)
• Attempted Assault in the 1st Degree (Class B Felony)
• Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 4th Degree (Class A Misdemeanor)

Family Court Decision Draws Ire from Police Chief

A Facebook post by Sidewinder Photography chronicled the events, including the Albany County Family Court's decision to release the defendant to the supervision of the Albany County Probation Department with electronic monitoring, which did not go well with the chief of police.
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Watervliet Police Department. Chief William M. Rice issued this strong statement about the court's decision to allow the defendant a release:

“While we are grateful the victim is recovering, it is concerning (to release) a juvenile back into the community so quickly after allegedly committing such a heinous act."

Rice added, "When a 14-year-old uses a knife to repeatedly stab another child with clear intent to cause serious harm or death, this isn’t a typical juvenile offense—this is attempted murder. The fact that electronic monitoring is considered adequate supervision for someone who allegedly tried to kill another person sends a deeply troubling message.”