Upstate NY teen arrested in murder of man at his own birthday party

An upstate New York teen has been arrested on murder and related charges in the killing of a 21-year-old man who was shot multiple times at his own birthday party in the Town of Southport last weekend.

Michael Williams, 17, of Elmira, was taken into custody following a weeklong investigation into the murder of J’Sean Williams (no relation), the Chemung County Sheriff’s Office said Saturday.

The incident unfolded just before 1 a.m. on Nov. 16, when multiple law enforcement agencies responded to a “large party” at a home in Southport, near the Pennsylvania border, for reports of a shooting.

When deputies arrived at the residence, they determined one person had suffered from multiple gunshot wounds and the alleged shooter had fled the scene.

The victim, later identified as J’Sean Williams, was celebrating his birthday with a group of 30 to 50 people, according to WETM. He was rushed to Arnot Ogden Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead.

After multiple interviews with witnesses and the recovery of “dozens of items of evidence,” investigators named the younger Williams as a suspect.

Further investigation eventually led authorities to a residence in Binghamton, approximately 55 miles east of Elmira, where the suspect was located and arrested without incident. He’s since been charged with second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

The Chemung County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation into what led to the fatal shooting is still ongoing.