Cliff Diving Death Into Fishkill Creek In Beacon - Young Man From Newburgh Did Not Resurface

Photos from Google Maps; News12 Instagram; News12 Video Screenshot.

On the evening of Thursday, June 25th, 2026, Vincent Javinett, age 34, dove into the Fishkill Creek at the dam location of 508 Fishkill Avenue at the cliffs, and did not resurface. At 7:34pm, the Beacon Police, Fire and EMS were dispatched to respond to a call about an individual who cliff dove into the Fishkill Creek and had not resurfaced, Beacon Chief Figlia said a day after the incident in a press release published at 10:32am.

Reporting for News12, Ben Andy said that people living in the Groveville community behind the dam said they see kids jumping from the cliffs all of the time, “one after the the other, off the cliff into the water.”

First responders arrived within minutes, but assessed that given the amount of time Vincent had been under the water, “there was no chance of survival,” Chief Figlia said. Regardless, Beacon Fire entered the water to recover the victim, but they could not locate him. A dive team was called in from New York State Police, where he was then recovered from the water.

“The dive team found him. They found his body here,” Ben referred to a crevice between rocks. “They pulled him up in a stretcher, where many people could see what was going on,” Ben reported.

Chief Figlia confirmed that the jump was a tragic accident. “Beacon Police conducted an investigation and recovered video evidence from the scene, which confirmed, beyond a doubt, that the incident was a tragic accident.”

“It’s a super dangerous situation. People knew about it already, and sadly, they are not surprised this happened,” Ben reported.

“[Cliff diving at the Fishkill Creek] is a wheel chair at best, suicide at worst.”

— Kelley Durkin, USA & World Team Level Dive Coach

Chief Figlia continued: “Our thoughts and sympathies go out to Mr. Javinett and his family and loved ones.

People in the Comments of the Beacon Police’s Press Release acknowledged that cliff diving at this location has been going on for years. Said Sara Lynn: “I can’t believe after all these years, people are still doing this. These well known ‘spots’ should be guarded and tragic events such as this can be avoided. I’m sorry for this person’s family and friends, as well as those who bared witness.”

“Close this cliff.”

— Kelley Durkin, USA & World Team Level Dive Coach

Kelley Durkin said (ALBB has edited for FB typos): “I am a lifetime diver + USA & World Team level coach. In 1970's, all the local divers would cliff dive off Castle Rock in S. Salem at 55 ft. If I had to do it over again, I wouldn't do it. When you are young, you function off ‘thrill, dare & invincibility.’ I saw an experienced diver and coach do a normal front dive fine, and break his neck near death. Another diver got knocked out and was under dark water until a friend ‘felt him’ and saved him at the last minute.

“The Olympic 10M Platform is 33 ' and a diver is moving 40+- MPH. I've seen experienced divers miss a dive and go to the hospital. So that's only 33'. My Castle Rock is 55'and this cliff here is some say 80'. You are likely moving 60+ MPH! After a life of high level diving and coaching, I will not let a trained diver of mine on 10M Platform at 33' for ‘years’ after extensive training. Today, I would never let myself or anyone I knew go off the 55' and 80' should be closed off to everyone.

“various objects are present at the creek bottom - submerged logs & stumps, bicycles, shopping carts, pipes, construction debris, etc. Storms and high water flows constantly change the creek bottom.”

— Beacon Councilperson Sergei Krasikov

“Further, just about everyone on these cliffs are local dare non-divers with zero training. This is a wheel chair at best, suicide at worst. And I have not even got into how the cliff rock shapes out under water, how deep the water is, what's down there, that current you talk about, etc. Close this cliff - I don't care how ‘dare’ you are.”

A Little Beacon Blog reached out to Beacon Councilperson Sergei Krasikov, who works closely with the Fishkill Creek, for comment about what he knows about the depth and condition of the creek there. He responded: “I do not know the depth or the condition of the creek bottom in the area. From general experience and observations at various sites during kayaking, clean ups, water quality sampling etc., various objects are present at the creek bottom - submerged logs & stumps, bicycles, shopping carts, pipes, construction debris, etc. Storms and high water flows constantly change the creek bottom. Cliff jumping is inherently dangerous, but especially so in creeks with constantly changing conditions and the water you cannot see through. My heart goes to the family and friends of the man who has died so tragically.

View fullsize

View fullsize

ALBB Readers Are Asking For Updates To The Shooting In Groveville Community

Readers of A Little Beacon Blog have been writing in, asking for an update to the shooting that took place in the Groveville community of townhouses across the street from Trax on Rte. 52 days before Halloween on October 24, 2024 at 6:45pm, as ALBB first reported here.

Multiple sources have since told ALBB that the victim, who was confirmed by the Beacon Police to be a male 23-year old Beacon resident, was essentially paralyzed by the 5 or 7 gunshot wounds he received that night on Mill Street, which is the first street in the townhouse community. According to people familiar with the victim, his arm was also shot and is no longer usable.

According to people who know the victim, he is currently living with his mother who is his sole caregiver. Community members also say that his mother was evicted from her apartment, and they are living where they can find arrangements.

On the night of the shooting, Beacon Police confirmed via press release that all parties involved were still at the scene, and that there was no threat to the general public. Having been reporting on the scene, ALBB saw no search for an active shooter, or felt a sense of alarm.

As first reported by ALBB then: “According to neighbors, shots were fired, possibly 5 at close range, and a body was taken from the ground into an ambulance to St. Lukes in Newburgh. It was believed by neighbors that the person who was shot was a young man in his 20s who has a child around the age of 1, and was visiting someone in the Groveville community, and that he did not live there. Neighbors heard that he was in surgery in the hospital as of 7:15pm.

“At first, neighbors did not know who the victim was, or the shooter. They were quite surprised that the shooting happened at all. But then texts started coming in as to who the victim was, and what his condition was at the hospital. Neighbors did not see anyone taken away in handcuffs, or a shooter identified. That does not mean that a shooter wasn’t taken into custody, or that other information is known about them. So far, there is no confirmed information about the shooter.”

Since that time, the Beacon Police have not released further information about the shooter or the motive, saying it was an open investigation. They declined to release names of the shooter or victim at that time.

UPDATE: Beacon Police Issue Press Release On The Shooting Of A Young Beacon Man In Groveville

Related Link: For more details, this incident was first reported on here.

Hours after the shooting took place in the brick row houses known as Groveville (named for a carpet mill that was built there in the 1880s as the housing community surrounding it for workers), the City of Beacon Police Department issued a brief Press Release:

“On October 24, 2024 at approximately 6:20pm in the City of Beacon Police Department received a call reporting that a male had been shot on Mill St. Upon arrival all involved parties were still on the scene and members determined the male who had been shot to be a 23-year-old Beacon resident. He was transported to the hospital where he is currently in stable condition. The investigation into the cause of the shooting is ongoing but there is no threat to the general public. No names or further identifying information is being released at this time.”

According to the Police, “all involved parties were still on the scene,” which does not identify what kind of involved parties, but could imply that the shooter was still on the scene. In the moments after the shooting, Beacon Police did not seem panicked, and there did not seem to be a search for an active shooter. Residents were free to drive into the community to get back to their homes at the end of the day. Police, however, did seem to be looking for something with their flashlights.

The Press Release states that an “investigation into the cause of the shooting is ongoing,” which is worded in a way similar to when an investigation into the cause of a fire happens. The Press Release did not say if an arrest or identification of the shooter had been made.

Mill Street is the main entrance street to the Groveville community. Upon ALBB’s arrival to the scene at 6:45pm which was reported here, the young man had been taken to the hospital, and Beacon Police were interviewing residents between Lydia Drive and Front Street who have the green Halloween light on through cobwebs. Police were also searching the left side of the brick row house on Mill Street and Lydia Street, which is the first house on the right.

Upon arriving home from their commutes, residents spoke of how comfortable it is living in Groveville, and that this incident is unusual.