Assault Sunday in Albany leaves victim in critical condition

ALBANY — Aggravated assaults reported to the Albany Police Department on Sunday included one incident resulting in a man who remained in critical condition on Monday.

Phyllis Banks, spokeswoman for the APD, said officers responded to 600 W. Gordon Ave. in reference to a man down at 1:22 a.m. When police arrived, paramedics were already on the scene treating the man, later identified as James Winchester, who witnesses said had been in an altercation with two unknown men.

After the altercation, Winchester was left in the roadway. He was transported to Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital with what police said was “severe life threatening trauma to his head.” The incident remained under investigation Monday.

A spokeswoman at Phoebe said Winchester was in critical condition Monday afternoon.

In a separate incident, reports said shots were fired on the 500 block of Jefferies Avenue shortly before 1 a.m.

Before the officers arrived at the scene, they were advised a man had been shot and was being transported to Phoebe by car. Officers made contact with the victim, Narvar Warren, 21, who reported he was at the scene of the shooting for a “kickback” when several shots were fired and he was struck in the right leg, Banks said.

Banks said the incident remained under investigation Monday. A spokeswoman at the hospital had no information on Warren’s condition Monday afternoon.