By CRAIG FREILICH

POTSDAM -- Potsdam Patrolman Matthew Seymour, who awaits clearance from a grand jury to return to work after he shot and killed a stabbing suspect last month, “is doing fine,” said Potsdam Police Chief Kevin Bates Monday.

Bates said the St. Lawrence County District Attorney’s office “has the file” and will present evidence to a grand jury into the question as to whether Seymour’s shooting and killing of Clarkson graduate student Tian Ma, 31, on Sept. 9 at Swan Landing Apartments in Potsdam was justified.

Police said that Seymour and Patrolman Clint Perrigo arrived at the scene after neighbors called to say they heard screams coming from the apartment where the officers eventually confronted Ma, who was standing over another CU grad student 24 year-old Yazhen Jiang, stabbing her.

The investigation indicated Ma refused to obey the officers’ commands to drop the knife, and made a move toward Officer Seymour, an 11-year veteran of the Potsdam Police Department.

Seymour fired four shots from his Glock 21 .45 caliber service pistol. Perrigo did not fire.

Police said Yahzen Jiang was pronounced dead after transport to Canton-Potsdam Hospital. Ma was pronounced dead at the scene.

State police have been asked but have not released any further information as to the relationship between the two students, both Chinese nationals, or about any motive for the stabbing that might have been discovered in the investigation, in the month since the investigation began.

And state police have had nothing to say about the autopsies, which were to have taken place within days of the stabbing and shooting a month ago.

DA Mary Rain said a full presentation of the case to a grand jury is considered mandatory. Chief Bates said Seymour is on leave pending the outcome of the presentation.

Bates said Seymour “is doing fine” while he waits out action by the DA.