Father of three shot dead after getting caught in hotel gunfight on visit to son’s college

A father of three who died when he was caught in a random gunfight at a hotel lobby while on a family weekend visit to a college in upstate New York has been named.

Paul Kutz, 53, a chartered accountant from Long Island, was hit by a stray bullet during a shootout at the Courtyard by Marriott in Poughkeepsie, at 7.30am on Sunday, The Poughkeepsie Journal reported.

Kutz was struck in the chest and torso after being shot by a .9-mm semi-automatic weapon and taken to the Mid-Hudson Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to a statement from the Poughkeepsie Police Department.

Roy Johnson, 35, has been charged with second-degree murder and second-degree possession of a weapon, police said.

A second man, Devin Taylor, 26, was charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

During a search of the suspect’s hotel room, police found bomb-making materials and manuals, Poughkeepsie police said.

The hotel was evacuated and officers from the New York State Police bomb squad and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms responded. Authorities said they found no explosive devices.

The hotel remained closed on Monday evening.

The two suspects were homeless and had been staying at the hotel, according to police. Both have criminal records and were not known to the victim.

In a statement released on Sunday, Marist College said: “Yesterday morning, authorities made us aware of the tragic, fatal shooting of a parent of a Marist student at a local hotel several miles from campus.

“Our deepest condolences go out to the family, and we are offering the full support of the Marist community.”

The shooting occurred during a special Family Weekend at the private liberal arts college.