COLONIE – An irate customer threw Colonie Center into chaos for a short time on Sunday, Feb. 25, as people thought there were shots fired in the area of the food court.
According to Lt. Robert Winn, a number of 911 calls came in at around 5:11 p.m. and there were media reports of people scrambling from the mall.
All available units – from a number of different departments – responded to the mall and by 5:16 p.m. Winn said the subject had been located, it was determined he did not have a gun and that there were no shots fired.
According to Winn, Trashalla A. Gillbey, a 33-year-old from Schenectady, had a dispute over a missing cell phone and began yelling. He did say to someone he had a gun, Winn said.
He also struck a kiosk several times, which some misinterpreted as gun shots.
Witnesses reported there was an active shooter in the mall, and the mall went into its security protocols for a short time.
When arrested, police also found a small amount of marijuana on Gillbey.
He is charged with criminal nuisance, a misdemeanor, and the violations of disorderly conduct and unlawful possession of marijuana.