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One student dead after shooting near SUNY Potsdam; police charge Massena man

Potsdam Police Dept./Facebook

(NCPR News) A 21 year-old SUNY Potsdam student has died after being shot near campus Friday evening. Police searched for the shooter for a day before charging a 31-year-old man from Massena with second degree murder.

According to New York State Police, police responded to a call of an unconscious woman lying on the side of College Park Road just before 6 pm. When they arrived, they saw she had gunshot wounds and transported her to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

State police identified the woman Saturday morning as Elizabeth "Beth" Howell of Patterson, NY, a music education student and cellist who played in the Crane Symphony Orchestra. Police said the shooting appeared to be an isolated incident and don't believe there's an ongoing active threat to the campus.

St. Lawrence County coroner June Wood confirmed that Howell died in the emergency room at the Canton-Potsdam Hospital, adding that an autopsy is scheduled for Saturday.

State police have charged 31-year-old Michael Snow, Massena, NY with second degree murder. He was arraigned in the town of Potsdam and remanded to the St. Lawrence County Jail with no bail.