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A Nassau County grand jury indicted a Bay Shore man on murder and weapons charges in the shooting death of a 51-year-old father during a New Year’s Eve gathering at a New Cassel home, prosecutors said.
Stephen Primm, 34, was arraigned Friday before Judge Joy Watson on the indictment, which charges him with second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said.
Primm pleaded not guilty and is being held in jail without bail. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years to life in prison.
Prosecutors said the shooting occurred in the early morning hours of Jan. 1, as part of a New Year’s Eve gathering at a home on Railroad Avenue.
Joseph Fountain, 51, of New Cassel attended the gathering with family members when a dispute broke out outside the home involving the victim and several relatives, authorities said.
During the altercation, an individual from a neighboring home attempted to intervene and was punched by Fountain, prosecutors said.
Fountain then went back inside the home and began walking up the staircase.
At about 2:03 a.m., Primm — a guest at the neighboring home — allegedly entered the residence where Fountain was and fired four shots up the stairwell, striking Fountain at the top of the stairs, Donnelly said.
Fountain suffered four gunshot wounds — he was hit in his hand, left torso and back. He initially survived the shooting, but died shortly later at NYU Langone Hospital – Long Island in Mineola.
Primm allegedly fled the scene following the shooting. Detectives with the Nassau County Police Department Homicide Squad arrested him on Jan. 3 at a residence in Bay Shore, authorities said.
He is scheduled to back in court on March 10.
Top: (inset) Stephen Primm (NCDA) and (main) GLI file photo
