Photographer: Marc Schultz

A Schenectady police officer looks at a rear window damaged by a gun blast on Thursday. The shooting took place on Morris Avenue, but this Nissan Pathfinder ended up at the corner of Glenwood Boulevard and Union Street. A getaway car was found in Niskayuna.

SCHENECTADY — A local man was shot on Morris Avenue late Thursday morning, his assailants fleeing to Niskayuna before abandoning their vehicle, police said.

Police reported no arrests Thursday evening. The assailant car was believed to have had two occupants. The car was located at Hillcrest Village East about an hour after the shooting, sparking an intense search, including a state police helicopter flying low off Balltown Road, several police cars and lockouts of two Niskayuna schools.

The victim was identified as Robert Daniels, who is in his late 20s. He was shot in the arm while driving an SUV on Morris just before noon. The injuries were not life threatening.

Daniels drove the SUV blocks away to Union Street and Glenwood Boulevard, where he hit a light pole and fled, police spokesman Lt. Brian Kilcullen said. Arriving officers found the SUV with blood inside but no victim.

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Daniels ended up on Maryland Avenue, a block away, where he got a ride to Ellis Hospital from a good Samaritan. A puddle of blood was found on Maryland.

Daniels was conscious and alert at the hospital but had said little, Kilcullen said. “He hasn’t offered us much to go on.”

Meanwhile, Daniels was also issued two tickets, one count of aggravated unlicensed operation, a misdemeanor, and one for leaving the scene of an accident.

Police said they believe there was a passenger in Daniels’ car. That passenger was not believed to have been hit. He had not been located by late Thursday afternoon.

Police initially responded to a report that a car hit a utility pole on Glenwood Boulevard near Union Street just before noon. Arriving officers found blood in the car but no victim.

Police believe the initial shooting happened at the intersection of Eastern and Morris avenues. Glass was found there, believed to have come from one of the vehicles. Streets in that area were closed while the evidence was recovered.

Police were expected to search the vehicle found in Niskayuna Thursday evening after obtaining a search warrant, authorities said.

The discovery set off an intense search for two suspects in the area, prompting lockouts at Craig Elementary School and Niskayuna High. The actions meant no one could get inside the schools, but classes went on as normal, officials said. Precautions were also taken at the Jewish Community Center off Balltown Road.

The lockout at the high school ended at about 1:30 p.m. The one at Craig extended to the end of the school day, with Niskayuna Police watching over dismissal.

A New York State Police helicopter was seen in the sky Thursday afternoon behind Craig Elementary School, near woods by the General Electric Research and Development Center in Niskayuna.

The shooting happened blocks from the Union College campus. A note on the school’s Web site indicated its emergency notification system was activated.

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