Press Releases
01/24/2022
Office of the Inspector General Investigating Use of Force by Deputy United States Marshal
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Rocky Hill, CT) - Inspector General Robert J. Devlin, Jr. has commenced an investigation into the use of force by a Deputy United States Marshal at or near 35 Wheeler Street in New Haven at approximately 11:30 a.m. on Thursday January 13, 2022. There were no injuries as a result of this gunfire.
Members of a Fugitive Task Force were in possession of active felony arrest warrants for Marvin Owens, of Bridgeport. At approximately 11:30 a.m. on January 13, 2022, Owens entered a parking lot near 35 Wheeler Street, New Haven driving a white box truck. Task Force Officers, including, Deputy United States Marshal James Masterson, drove into the parking lot and exited their vehicles. They approached Owens intending to take him into custody on the active warrants. Disregarding the officers’ commands, Owens got back into the white truck and started driving out of the parking lot. The Task Force Officers pursued on foot for a short distance. It was during this time that Deputy United States Marshal Masterson fired five shots in the direction of the truck. There were no injuries as a result of this gunfire and Owens continued to flee the scene in the truck. Owens drove to Bridgeport where he was ultimately apprehended following a collision with another motor vehicle.
The Inspector General is examining whether the use of force by the Deputy United States Marshal was justified under Connecticut law. The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, Western District Major Crime Squad is investigating the incident. The Task Force Officers were not wearing body-worn cameras at the time of the incident and none of their vehicles was equipped with dashboard cameras. Investigators, however, located private security cameras on a building adjacent to the parking lot where the shooting occurred. I am authorizing the public release of the relevant video recordings from these cameras at this time.
This investigation is continuing.