SHERBURNE – Police said an investigation into a fatal Sherburne shooting, that occurred during a confrontation between a husband, a wife, and another man, could take weeks or longer to complete.

The shooting occurred at about 3 p.m., April 10, along Knapp Road in the Town of Sherburne.

Following an autopsy police confirmed 39-year-old Joseph M. Hubbard, of Poolville, died after being shot by a rifle during the confrontation.

Police said the incident primarily involved an interaction between three adults at the residence, but young children were also home at the time.

The Chenango County Sheriff's Office has released few details, but investigators have confirmed the incident involved a husband and wife who had a deteriorating relationship.

The husband discovered the wife was at the home of the another man and traveled there to confront her.

A verbal and physical confrontation began outside the home and then moved inside the home.

The husband was then shot and killed by the other man. Police have declined to named the shooter until the investigation is complete.

Chenango County Sheriff Ernest R. Cutting confirmed this week that Hubbard was unarmed when police recovered his body from inside the home.

“There is no danger to the public. The investigation is ongoing and the people involved are all identified and not a threat,” said Cutting.

The sheriff said the investigation could take weeks and there was a backlog of forensic evidence waiting to be processed across New York State at law enforcement labs due to fewer personnel and more cases. He also said the office was in the process of petitioning social media companies and other online sources of information for their electronic records.

“When you start dealing with labs and seeking the information we are looking for, there is a process you must go through,” he said, “The incident is still under investigation and continuing and investigators are continuing to follow up on leads.”

Cutting said police responded to, “– a firearm discharge call, and when officers arrived they found a deceased person at the home. And at that point everything slows down.”

“We will release information when we know more, we are looking into the facts of the case and need to protect the integrity of the investigation,” Cutting said.

According to Hubbard's obituary at www.campbell-dean.com, he graduated from Morrisville-Eaton Central Schools in 2001 and attended Morrisville College. He was a veteran with the National Guard, being deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan. At the time of his death the obituary also reported he held the rank of Sergeant First Class and was working for the Utica Armory of the Army National Guard.