Syracuse standoff leaves three officers shot after dog stabbing call

What began as a 911 call about a stabbed dog turned into a six-hour standoff at 120 Tyler Court Apt. A that left three Syracuse police officers shot or injured, shut down a corner of the 15th Ward, and drew in state and federal agencies.

Police said the first call came around 6:01 a.m. on May 9 from a man reporting that his dog had been stabbed in the multi-family residence in the 100 block of Tyler Court. Officers found the injured animal, arranged emergency veterinary treatment, and then built probable cause for a search warrant. When officers moved in to execute that warrant, police said Rodney Vanderpool, 55, opened fire through the apartment door.

According to police, two officers were struck in the arms and a third suffered a hand injury. All three were treated and released and later reported in stable condition, with Chief Mark Rusin saying a few days later that they were home and in good spirits. Investigators later said body-camera footage captured Vanderpool firing through the front door, and police released images showing the bullet hole in the apartment door and later bullet holes in a car on Tyler Court, a visual reminder of how close the encounter came to causing even more casualties.

The confrontation stretched for about six hours before Vanderpool surrendered around 3:15 p.m. Police said negotiators tried for hours to reach him and also used social media in an effort to persuade him to come out. New reporting said nearly 80 rounds were fired during the exchange between Vanderpool and officers. The scene stayed active as more than 100 officers and multiple agencies, including the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police, FBI and ATF, assisted Syracuse police.

Vanderpool was later arraigned in Syracuse City Court on May 10 and was being held at the Onondaga County Justice Center. He faces three counts of attempted murder, along with attempted assault, menacing, weapons possession and aggravated cruelty to animals. Police said additional charges could still be filed as the investigation continues, and the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office said the accusations against Vanderpool date back to 2013, a factor it said affected his earlier release without bail.

The episode rippled beyond the block itself. Police identified the larger scene as Pioneer Homes near downtown Syracuse, part of the 15th Ward and a public-housing area long tied to redevelopment plans and neighborhood debate. A nearby central New York high school canceled its senior ball because of the emergency just two blocks away, underscoring how quickly violence in the area can disrupt everyday life around Downtown Syracuse.