On Monday evening at the 8/17/2026 City Council Meeting, the night before the Highlands Current broke the story that the City of Beacon's computer files of multiple departments and retired employees had been hacked and published as a result of allegedly not responding to a ransom note, the City of Beacon hired Dustin Benedict, an IT and Cybersecurity professional and field technician from the local computer firm Fisch Solutions, before he attends or completed the Police Academy, making his appointment contingent upon that successful completion.

The hire is a professional appointment, as he needs to begin and pass the Academy, which will begin in September, Beacon's Police Chief Tom Figlia stated at Monday evening's City Council Meeting.

"Dustin has passed all of our rigorous testing, the agility, our background standards, including a polygraph and psychological assessment," Chief Figlia explained to the City Council. "I have selected he will attend in-house training until the beginning of the Academy in September. I request that we approve him for hire tonight.”

Dustin lives in the Town of Wallkill and graduated from the Newburgh Free Academy. He earned his Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology with a Minor in Cyber Security from Mount St. Mary's College.

"Which are certainly skills that we could definitely use in the police department," Chief Figlia reflected.

The Chief then expanded on further connection between Fisch Solutions and the City of Beacon: "A fun little piece of Beacon history. When the founder of that company was 15, he created Beacon's first website.”

A second candidate, John Maraia, was also presented to be hired, and had passed all of his testing, but his background check of fingerprints was pending, as the system for that was down all day, the Chief said. "We kind of had a knife in the back on that one." He also would begin the Academy at a later date.

After Councilperson Amber Grant asked about the timing of the tests and checks for the appointment, City Administrator Ben Swanson said: "I would just add that the resolution for John does reflect that is contingent upon his successful completion of those two remaining items. So if either of those were not to be the case, then the resolution that you voted will ultimately be voting on in a moment would, even if it passes, would not appoint him successfully.

Councilperson Amber responded: "Okay. Yeah, I'm comfortable taking that approach based on just the timing constraints that are in place. And I know the Academy is only a couple of times a year. So as long as the resolution is as you said, clearly states that if those things don't come back as clear, that this person would not be appointed."

Just before 6:45pm on Thursday evening October 24th, 2024, a person was allegedly shot outside in Groveville, which is the community of brick row houses across from Trax on Fishkill Avenue, which some people also call Rte. 52.

City of Beacon Police officers speaking with residents in the Groveville apartment community.

The driveway into the community splits three ways at first. Crime scene tape cordoned off an area from the first house on the right, to a house straight ahead with Halloween cobwebs and a glowing green light on the porch.

Upon ALBB’s arrival to the scene after the shooting, police were seen interviewing people at the house with the green porch light. Police were also scanning the first house on the right with flashlights. One officer also checked around the row of trashcans, before interviewing neighbors.

According to neighbors, Groveville is normally quiet. This evening was particularly quiet, one neighbor said, given that there were around 15 police cars that drove into the complex after the shooting. Neighbors expressed gratitude that the police arrived so promptly. Neighbors did not recall hearing any sirens.

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.

One officer had a rifle in his hand but police officers did not seem to be actively looking for a shooter after the victim had been taken to the hospital. Most officers were calmly interviewing residents, or looking for objects on the ground.

A City of Beacon Police Officer shining his flashlight around the trash can area near where the shooting allegedly took place.

An officer with the City of Beacon Police could not comment to ALBB on if there was a person shot, or if that person was in the hospital, or if the shooter had been apprehended.

A Little Beacon Blog contacted Police Chief Thomas Figlia for comment and confirmation of events, but has not received response yet. Chief Figlia did arrive on the scene by approximately 7:15pm or so.

Most residents driving home from their days seemed visibly confused at the police activity, and were surprised that a shooting took place.

This is a developing story. The City of Beacon Police will most likely issue a Press Release. When and if that happens, ALBB will republish it.

UPDATE: At around 10:30pm, the Beacon Police issued this press release.