Poestenkill Man Killed By NYS Troopers

by Bea Peterson
NYS Police say 54 year old Daniel Burgum of 99 Dater Hill Road, Poestenkill, called his sister around 9:30 pm Tuesday and told her he was going to kill himself. He told her he was armed with a “long gun.” She lives out of state, and she called the NY State Police. Troopers from Brunswick and Schodack and deputies from the Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Office went to Burgum’s home, where phone calls to the home and his cell phone went unanswered. They surrounded the house.
Around 11 pm Burgum exited the house shouting, “I know you are out here.” The Police said Burgum was told by a NYS Police Sergeant to put down his weapon, but instead he swung around toward the Sergeant’s location, raised the gun and aimed it directly at the Trooper. The Sergeant fired his weapon four times, killing Burgum. No other officers at the scene fired. Police confirmed the .22 was loaded.
Burgum was transported by Poestenkill Ambulance to Samaritan Hospital in Troy where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy was to be conducted Wednesday. Burgum’s sister told Police he was drinking and despondent when he called her.